Claws and Kisses
by AgLingua42
Summary: What if Haihane had never been accepted into the Disciplinary Squad? What if she found a certain dark haired Ashikabi and he caught the reapers eye? What will they do in this crazy game called the Sekirei Plan?
1. Heart Reaper

Hello one and all! It's a so nice to see all of you out here today...or at least see those who looked at the summery and thought it might be interesting to read this. In any case, welcome to a little side project I've had in my head for the past couple of months. Sekirei is one of my favorite Anime's and it's been growing as of late so I thought I'd share something I came up with just for you. Also I've noticed that there haven't been a lot of fics with Haihane in them so I decided to throw in my contribution. Technically this can just be a one shot with one hell of a ball buster ending or it can continue into something else. I guess it comes down to if you guys like it, but the chances are I'm leaning towards making it into something bigger. Without further ado I'd like to welcome you to chapter one of my new story, _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing dude.

_Chapter 1: Heart Reaper  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is a great day, not only for the gods but for mankind as well!"

His voice was absolutely booming, a tone of command and authority melding with the childish fantasies of a five year old. Hiroto Minaka was a man of many things, he was a person of great wealth with enough money to buy continents if he so chose. He was a man of great power, his influence felt round the world in his multi-national corporation known as M.B.I. He was a terrible enemy and a wonderful friend, his boots lined with the blood of those that stood before him while his back was covered by those who adored him. Yet with all of this money and all of this power, there was but one thing that he lacked...

Sanity

"Hundreds if not thousands of years ago they came to earth, fated by the gods to give a new rising to humanity's belief," he continued to howl, a gleaming grin crossing his lips and baring pearly white teeth as he spoke, "and I am here to allow them passage into this future which will be called eons in the future the Sekirei plan!"

He was stark raving insane, his twisted imagination bending the very rules of ethics, morals, and even reality of the world to play with the lives of sentient beings as if they were his personal toys. Toys that he had planned to loan out to numerous people for a short time, just as long as he could watch, enjoy...and they didn't break the rules.

That was the reason this meeting was called, three Sekirei all lined up before him prepared to be entered into what he liked to call, 'the Disciplinary Squad.' Each of them showed a strength that was uncommon even amongst the Sekirei, a power that could crush any thought of rebellion or trouble from those who would defy the words of the gods. The first of them was the easiest choice, number 4 Karasuba being on previous incarnations of the squad several times over and proving her loyalty and determination, some would call bloodlust, to get the job done. Next was another obvious choice, number 105 Benitsubasa pledging her fist as long as she had the opportunity to fight and crush her opponent into dust. Yet, it was the final spot that had given him some trouble.

At first he had prepared number 104 to take the third slot in the trio, her extreme speed and strength becoming a powerful asset to the squad...instead who stood before him was number 5 Mutsu, the sword wielding earth Sekirei who too had served on a previous squad. 104 had been a prime contender for the role, even going so far as to be specifically adjusted for partnership with 105 whose style was complimentary to the bladed Sekirei. However it was 104's unforgiveable shortcomings of forgetfulness and lack of situational awareness that lost her the seat among the proud hands of Minaka.

None the less Minaka was ecstatic, a wide grin lighting his face as he continued his enthusiastic speech, "And that is why you have been placed before me, the gods choosing you above all else to hold those who play their game to the rules that have been brought forth!" With magnificent flare his brought a single hand forward, pointing at the slightly smirking Karasuba, "Number 4 Karasuba! Will you do everything in your power to withhold the will of the gods and the Sekirei plan?"

Karasuba chuckled softly, bowing her head so none could see the predatory gleam in her eyes, "Yes, I will."

Minaka raised his hand up and like the drop of an executioners axe pointed at Benitsubasa, "Number 105 Benitsubasa! Will you do everything in your power to withhold the will of the gods and the Sekirei plan?"

Benitsubasa smirked, one hand fisting and slamming into the palm of the other with a sickening smack, "As long as I get to knock some head, yes I will!"

Finally Minaka turned to the ringer, the third slot filled by the emergency inclusion of Mutsu, "Number 5 Mutsu! Will you do everything in your power to withhold the will of the gods and the Sekirei plan?"

For a moment Mutsu hesitated, a lingering doubt festering in his heart as he thought of his part in all of this. He really did want to go find his own Ashikabi, perhaps live a long and happy by their side but...it wasn't like he had any choice in the matter anymore anyway. Bowing low he spoke, "Yes, I will."

"Excellent!" Minaka laughed, spreading his arms wide as his booming voice filled the room, "Then I would like to congratulate and welcome the third generation Discipli-"

BANG!

A sudden slam echoed throughout the room, Minaka's speech cut short and all head turning toward the source of the sudden sound. Standing in the doorway of the room was number 104 Haihane, her bandaged body and gaunt appearance at ends with the slight trickle of red leaking down her arms. Cradled in her bandages limbs were her twin gauntlets, the tempered steel claws hastily gathered up in a mad rush leaving her with many gaping wounds up and down her arms. Haihane panted and gasped as she held the door open with a single unsheathed hand, the mummified arm littered with splotches of crimson from the blood her claws had inadvertently spilled. After a few seconds Haihane looked up into the room, a relieved smile as she spoke, "Sorry...I'm late...lost my...claws..."

In the span of a full second Minaka's attitude changed, his eyes narrowing as his grin was replaced by a deeply set frown. With calm and careful action he stepped back, falling into his office chair before crossing his fingers over his face, the gleam of his glasses giving no clue as to the state of his mind, "Number 104...once again you are late."

Panting a bit more Haihane bowed, her hands carefully and tenderly slipping the gauntlets onto her wounded arms, "I'm sorry sir...but my gauntlets...I lost them in my room."

"Hm," Minaka muttered, watching as the reaper-esque Sekirei attached her equipment, slowly walking over in her usual hunched position, "And that would make how many times this has occurred?"

The anger in Minaka's voice froze Haihane instantly, her eyes meeting the gleam of his glasses with a slightly nervous glance, "I...I don't remember."

"16," Minaka said with a casual tone, "This will be the 16th time you have lost your weapons and caused a meeting to be late because of it."

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean-"

"At this point number 104 this has gone far beyond accidental and become insubordination," Minaka interrupted the increasingly nervous Sekirei, his gaze turning from her to the three others in the room, "Unlike you, these three have shown punctuality and dedication to their work for the gods...as well as remembering where they put their weapons."

For the first time since entering the room Haihane turned to the other Sekirei in the room, her eyes widening as she noticed the introduction of Mutsu to the number, "Sir?"

Minaka pointedly turned back to Haihane, his hidden gaze bringing a slightly sickening feeling up from her stomach, "Number 104, because of your lack of commitment I have decided to replace you with number 5 Mutsu on the Disciplinary Squad for the remainder of the Sekirei plan. You will be released just like any other Sekirei and participate in the plan just like any other. Is this understood?"

Haihane froze, ice water running through her veins as she glanced from Minaka to the other Sekirei in the room. Benitsubasa and Mutsu both gave her a look of apology while Karasuba continued to smirk, that disturbing grin and horrifying glint in her eye sending Haihane's hand shivering with fear. Breaking away the stare Haihane looked to Minaka once more, her mouth opening to plead her case, "But sir-"

"Number 104, I expect you to be down at the departure bay in one hour to be released with number 54, 88, 79, and 63. Do you understand?" Minaka said, his voice as hard as steel leaving no room for argument whatsoever.

With a heavy heart and a frog in her throat Haihane nodded, her head hanging slightly to look at the crimson that soaked into her numerous bandages, "Yes sir."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane sighed as she looked out at the landscape of Tokyo, the bright sun and the clear day drawing smiles from almost anyone under its rays...almost. For Haihane today had to have been one of the worst in her short life, from forgetting that she left her claws in the hall closet of her apartment to being replaced on the disciplinary squad with Mutsu, she had definitely had better days. If that hadn't been enough then she just barely was able to rewrap her bandages before she was set to leave, her adjustor giving her a few brief words before sending her out to find her destined Ashikabi...

With a quiet groan Haihane flopped onto her back, her eyes staring right back up into the clear cerulean of the sky above. She knew the odds of finding an Ashikabi for herself were slim to impossible, why else would she want to join with the disciplinary squad in the first place? Well that and he fact that she really liked to fight but right now that was a mute point. She knew her place was on the squad, she wanted to be placed there, but why then did she find herself out in the middle of the city on some random rooftop staring at the sky as if it held all the answers she could ever hope for.

Reaching up with one hand she grasped at the clouds hanging above, her metallic claws glinting in the light as she imagined them clashing with another, tearing through flesh, fighting a difficult opponent. She slammed her palms into her face as she growled, her bladed claws luckily missing her skin as she rocked from side to side, what was one who was destined for battle going to do now?

A sudden explosion shook Haihane out of her thoughts, her body sitting up quickly to find smoke billowing from a nearby rooftop. From the haze of the blast came three figures, each one of them bounding across the sky as if they were playing hopscotch in a school yard. With a deadly grin Haihane slowly rose to her feet, her claws tensing in preparation for battle. She might not have been on the squad but she'd be damned if that didn't give her a good battle! With a deep chuckle she bounded off after the three figures, her tongue darting across her lips as she felt the lust of battle rise within her...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once again nothing had worked out as he had planned, his hopes and dreams for the future crashing around him like so much broken glass. A second year ronin, a title that many had but no one wanted, and Sahashi Minato had just been granted the 'illustrious' title by his failing once again the gain entrance into Tokyo University. The wound to his pride hadn't been helped when he called his mother about the news, her disappointed tone and nagging voice digging in the harsh reality of the situation to him. In less eloquent terms, he was in some serious trouble at the moment.

A sigh announced his presence as he stepped off the train and onto the platform, his thoughts going a thousand miles an hour from his most recent failure. How would he pay his way? How would he keep going on? How would he pass the test the next time around? Why did it feel like an earthquake had just hit? "KYAAAAA! Please get out of the way!"

Turning head up to the sky Minato barely had time to react before he felt something heavy crash into him, his body being forced to the ground by the weighty but surprisingly soft object falling on top of him. "Ouch...what in the worl-" he began but his words were instantly stopped, his eyes springing open in surprise and his heart beginning to pound as he found himself face to face with a pair of sparkling white panties.

"Ah...as I expected, it was too high to jump from," a soft voice spoke up, feminine and delicate vibrations floating through the air as it the person atop him quickly slipped off. As the person can to sit on the sidewalk his eyes couldn't help but get even wider, his face flushing with heat as he finally took in the full sight before him. The person whom he had 'caught' was obviously a girl; it was easy to tell judging by her more than generous bust and the abundance of curves that were present throughout her form. Her clothing was an alteration of a shrine maiden's traditional garb, changes made to the basic design making it much more revealing while a pair of deep crimson sparring gloves clothed her hands. The more Minato looked at her the more his mind repeated one word, 'Beautiful.'

"Um...uh, are you okay?" He asked his tongue swelling and filling his mouth making proper speech incredibly difficult.

The girl suddenly turned to him, looking into his eyes for a moment before smiling brightly, her cherubic features and beaming grin the perfect poster child for innocence, "Ah! Thank you sir! You must have caught me."

More blood rushed to Minato's cheeks as the girl smiled, his mind never once breaking from its single worded chant of beautiful, "N-No...um, I was just-"

Without warning the girl's eyes snapped open, her head turning to the side and looking behind her for a brief second. Just as quickly, she turned back to face Minato, her whole body lunging towards him and pushing him to the ground as swiftly as she could, "Watch out!"

From out of nowhere came a thunderous zap, purple electricity streaking through the sky and destroying a sizeable chunk of the sidewalk where he had just sat. Minato's eyes were wide as he watched a large section of the sidewalk be turned to rubble and dust by the oddly colored thunderbolt. In a flash the girl had back off from Minato, her head turning up and looking in the direction where the bolt had fallen. Minato swiftly followed her stare, his surprise and confusion meeting new heights as he gazed upon two identical women, twins dressed in skimpy leather outfits and standing on the balcony of a billboard without a problem. One of them, the one with darker wear and larger breasts he noted, stepped forward onto the railing, a cocky smirk dressing her lips as she shouted out, "There's no use running, come and fight us!"

Every muscle in Minato's body locked up at once, his throat closing up as panic settled into his mind. Had that just been electricity? Had those twins somehow conjured a thunderbolt out of nowhere to attack them! Before he could voice anything the girl suddenly stood up, her fist clenched in determination as she shouted back, "I'm not going to fight yet!"

With a smirk the twin with the larger breasts held up a single hand, a crackling ball of purple electricity forming from nothing as she spoke, "Oh is that right?"

The girl lowered herself quickly, her arms held up in front of her face as if to block an incoming punch, "I will not fight until I find my Ashikabi-sama!"

The twin chuckled as she raised her hand behind her head, the ball growing in size as she spoke, "Guess that makes one le-"

"Fu, fu, fu," quiet laughter filled the air, a spine shivering chuckle that caused everyone to pause at the sound.

The larger breasted twin spun on a dime, her eyes wide as her sister did the same. Standing at the very top of the billboard behind them was another oddly dressed girl, her tall and lanky form hunched into herself as she smiled down on them. From her throat to her toes the girl was covered in bandages while her dark tattered and torn kimono fluttered in the breeze. Her silver hair was a mess of tangles and spikes, narrow sanpaku eyes glaring out from beneath the mat of grey and above a brightly gleaming sharp toothed grin. Around her neck was a thick collar of black leather, rivets of stainless steel adorning the material as a thick iron ring dangled from her throat. From her hands to her elbows were gauntlets composed of heavy metal, razor sharp claws twitching hungrily at the ends of her fingers as she continued to chuckle, "So she won't fight huh? Well I will...let's go!"

In the blink of an eye the girl had leapt from her perch, her grin growing even wilder as she plummeted towards the twins with claws outstretched. Sensing that their very existence was in danger the twins rapidly jumped away, their speedy retreat just barely fast enough to avoid the razor sharp blades of the gaunt reaper girl. In a flash of light the balcony which the twins stood was reduced to rubble, the grinning girl's claws slicing through steel and cement as if they were paper. With the balcony gone the girl quickly stabbed one of her hands into the billboard, her gleeful visage staring down at the twins who, in their rush, had landed beside the other girl and the boy.

The moment the twins landed on the walk the one with the larger breasts turned to the other, "Hibiki, we need to get the hell out of here, NOW!" With a silent nod from Hibiki the two quickly turned tail, their bodies becoming nothing more than a streak of black as they raced into an alley way.

Minato could only watch in fear as the gaunt looking girl changes her focus from the twins to himself and the girl who had fallen from the sky, her grin growing wider as she spoke once more, "Hn, well they were boring...maybe you could be interesting?"

Once again the girl from the sky held her ground, her fists tightening and her guard strengthening as she spoke, "I've already said I won't fight until I find my Ashkabi-sama!"

The grey girls smile continued, her crooked grin turning from the girl to Minato and wondering if threatening a human would get her a good battle. Instantly her smile loosened, her thumping heart made for battle now beginning to beat to something different. There was something about this human, something that made her of all people rank fighting a little bit lower than getting to know the fearfully gazing man on the ground. The second that thought entered her mind she mentally shook it off, instead turning back to the other girl with a curious gaze before she silently unhooked herself from the billboard, "What about that guy behind you?"

As the grey girl fell to the ground Minato suddenly found himself at the end of two very different stares. One came from the grey haired girl, her landing on the ground doing nothing to dissuade the intense and curious gaze she sent his way. The other, however came from the girl from the sky, her deep chocolate brown orbs widening in surprise as a light flush tinted her cheeks, "Wh-What? I have pledged to only take the Ashikabi-sama whom I am destined for!"

"Huh...okay then, what's your name?" The clawed girl asked, her approach never stopping as she walked closer to the girl from the sky and Minato.

"My name? They call me Musubi!"

Nodding a bit the grey girl turned to Minato, his confusion still at record levels as she softly asked, "And what is yours?"

"I...I'm Minato, Sahashi Minato."

"Good to meet you Minato," the grey girl muttered, a soft smile on her lips as she turned away from Minato and faced Musubi, "you're all acquainted, now go get'm."

Before Musubi could react she found herself turned in place, the grey girl's claws luckily avoiding her clothing and skin as Musubi was turned by her shoulders. For a moment Musubi found herself looking down at Minato, his wide eyes appearing like a deer in headlights as he stared up at her. However, a sudden pressure pushed her forward, the grey girl roughly kicking her and sending Musubi tumbling face first onto Minato's body once again.

However, unlike last time Minato was expecting the fall, watching as the grey girls foot rose and prepared to kick Musubi was an advantage that Musubi didn't. Because of this Musubi found herself caught by Minato, his arms gently wrapping around her body and cushioning her fall to the ground. With Musubi safely caught Minato gave a sigh of relief, it was a different matter catching a beautiful girl when you expected it...a much nicer one if you had to ask him. Shaking himself from his thoughts he pushed Musubi back slightly, his gaze meeting hers as he spoke, "Um, Musubi-san right? Are you alright?"

Musubi could feel a sudden heat build up in her body, a blazing inferno building from a single spark that seemed to wreath her skin in flames. Every bit of her body that touched Minato was brushing against an uncontrollable inferno, her heart thumping in her chest as a blush rose across her cheeks, "Minato-san...my body...it feels so hot...what should I do?"

Instantly a bright scarlet flush broke out across Minato's cheeks, embarrassment filling him as he stuttered, "Wh-what?"

Before he could make another move he found his face captured between Musubi's hands, her lips drawing closer to his own as she spoke, "I've found you...my Ashikabi-sama."

Lips pressed against lips, Minato and Musubi meeting one another for a slow and passionate kiss. With eyes wide open Minato watched as bright wings of light burst from Musubi's back, a brilliant crest forming before it slowly sank into her skin. It lasted for a few moments before the wings vanished, Musubi's lips slowly breaking from his own as she brightly smiled, "I am yours my Ashikabi, now and forever!" Without warning Minato found himself smothered beneath Musubi's prodigious bust, her enthusiasm and joy nearly palpable to any who had seen the spectacle.

It was especially effective on the grey haired girl who was observing, the gaunt reaper women standing there with her teeth subconsciously nibbling at her lower lip. She could see everything that had gone between the two, an unspeakable bond formed by the fates and unbreakable by anything less than death. She felt a slow heat begin to build in her body as she watched their lips grow closer, a slow and agonizing torture simmer beneath her skin until at last their lips touched, Musubi's wings springing forth and bringing the grey haired girls internal inferno to a head. Her claws twitched as her throat went dry, her lips being licked with a sandpaper tongue. Maybe finding an Ashikabi wouldn't be so hard after all.

For a few moments Minato struggled with the girl atop of him, her impressive strength pressing his face into her bosom and shouting her joy to the heavens, she had found her Ashikabi and she couldn't be happier. No matter how tight her hold might be Minato eventually found a way to squirm away from it, his breath coming in pants and sighs as he spoke, "Ok...first thing...what is an...ashee...something?"

Without warning he felt a sudden buzz in his pocket, his phones vibrating ring alerting him to an incoming call. Unconsciously he reached into his pocket and pulled the phone out, an unfamiliar number scrolling across the screen before flipping it open only to be faced to face with a peculiar man, "Hello! You were magnificently chosen to be the partner of a Sekirei! Congratulations!"

Minato stared at the man for a few moments in silence before he spoke, "Um...who are you?"

The man appeared deeply confused for a moment before shaking it off with a brilliant smile, "Is that a greeting? Hahahaha!"

Minato was about to hang up when Musubi glanced over his shoulder, her smile spreading wide as she excitably shouted, "Professor!"

That was the word that brought the grey girl out of her heated haze, her mind snapping back into place as she remembered the director, the professor, the man who had denied her the placement she so desired. Before anyone could notice the grey girl was standing behind Minato, narrow eyes staring into the screen with a hooded stare and lips set in a deep frown.

For his part the man seemed nonplused, his smile never slipping as he turned to each Sekirei in turn, "Ah number 88 Musubi! It's good to see you, are you doing well? And number 104 Haihane; it seems you haven't been winged yet."

Minato turned to Musubi and subsequently Haihane confused, "Someone you know?"

While Musubi nodded in enthusiasm Haihane simply nodded, frown still fixed upon her face and a slight glare in her visible eye. "Yes Minato-san, he's the CEO and Professor!"

"Indeed Minato-kun! How can you not know my face? At least read a newspaper sometime!" The man laughed, his booming voice echoing from the phones tiny speakers surprisingly well.

"Wait, how do you know my name?" Minato asked, an agitated and confused tone accompanied by a slight glare of his own toward the man in white.

"There's not much I don't know Minato-kun, but more to the point! Congratulations on becoming a participant in this wonderful game known as the Sekirei plan! The rules are very simple, there are 108 freed Sekirei sent out into Tokyo. These Sekirei are winged by Ashikabi's and they fight and fight and fight and fight until one only remains!"

Minato felt a bit of sickness rise up in his stomach, skepticism and disbelief leaving an acidic taste in his mouth as he thought of the implications. If this man was telling the truth then he was sick, is if not then he was insane, either way Minato raised up a hand and prepared to end the call, "Wait! Don't hang up! You also must know that since this project is very new and secretive if you decide to tell anyone who is not involved in the game about it, the M.B.I. will use everything in its power to punish you."

Thinking for a moment Minato thought back to the M.B.I. tower, the signs, the multinational corporation that could buy and sell Tokyo in the same day, "M.B.I.?"

The man in which chuckled softly, "You are quite slow aren't you? Well I have to be going now. Be good to Musubi Minato, I'll be watching you. Take care Musubi! Haihane."

With that the line went dead, Musubi waving to the oddly dressed man with a smile as his picture faded from the screen, "Wait! What is this all about? Hello?" With a heavy hearted sigh Minato closed the phone, pocketing it with a groan, "Well that was completely insane."

Turning to Musubi Minato found her to be almost shining with happiness, determination welling in her eyes as she spoke, "Don't worry Minato-san! I will fight for you and become the strongest so we can win together!" Once again Minato found that ever present blush burn on his cheeks as he looked over Musubi, his heart beating fast as she gave him that adorable smile...

A quiet cough suddenly reminded Minato that he was not alone with Musubi; in fact it was very apparent that Haihane had come even closer to him than she was just a few moments ago. Instead of simply standing behind Minato Haihane was now kneeling behind him, her clawed hands carefully laid on either side of his body as she leaned over him. Turning slightly he found himself almost face to face with the scary looking girl, "Uh, c-can I help you?"

Haihane's heart thundered in her chest as she drew closer to Minato, her pale features darkening as the beginning of a blush tinted her cheeks. She could feel the fire in her stomach burn hotter and hotter the closer she was to Minato, the reactions in her body setting her world ablaze as she spoke, "Yes, I think you can Minato...my name is Haihane."

Before Minato could react to her presence Haihane had pressed her lips to his own, a pair of deep indigo wings spreading from her back in a slashing pattern, invisible claws rendering space and time leaving behind luminescent wings of blinding light. The larger the wings grew the harder Haihane kissed, her tongue slipping between his lips and entangling with his own as the fires inside burned. She had found him; she had found her Ashikabi, the one thing she never thought she would ever find and the one she would never give up no matter what. With a soft smack Haihane pulled away from Minato, a lazy smile on her face and a bright crimson blush absolutely beaming from her cheeks all the way down to her throat, "And I am yours my Ashikabi, now and forever."

As Musubi cheered in the background about Minato winging another Sekirei Minato could tell his life was only going to get more complicated from this point on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whelp there you go! Please drop a review and tell me what you think! Hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to doing more!


	2. Cold Denial

Hello one and all! I want to start this off by thanking everyone who reviewed and all of those who even took the time to read this story. I wasn't sure what the response a story about the "Grim Reaper" of the Sekirei would have but as it has been shown, plenty of people are interested so I've decided to go at this story with all of my might. Just like my other stories I vow to never stop until I am done, no matter how long it takes, but I hope to have this one churning out as quickly as possible. It might not be THIS fast again but I will focus on trying my very best to provide some good entertainment. Well before I start to ramble, please sit back and enjoy this next chapter of _Claws and Kisses_.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing...though I would love to be an Ashikabi.

_Chapter 2: Cold Denial  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minato sighed as he stared up at the ceiling of his meager apartment, his muscles aching and his head pounding as he tried to sort through the events of his day. First he fails to pass the university entrance exam, then out of nowhere a beautiful girl named Musubi falls from the sky and lands on him, then two SM twins come out and try to fight Musubi, then yet ANOTHER girl named Haihane shows up, she scares off the twins and tries to start a fight with Musubi, Haihane gets him and Musubi to kiss making him Musubi's Ashikabi, the weird and probably insane CEO from M.B.I. calls him and tells him of this whole Sekirei game, then Haihane kisses him making him HER Ashikabi too, Haihane challenges Musubi to a spar which she accepts, both of them set up to fight but Musubi suddenly collapses from hunger, finally they all go back to his apartment where Musubi devours nearly everything in his refrigerator while Haihane pokes around the room and occasionally nibbles on some of the few food items Musubi hadn't devoured.

If it weren't for the fact that both aforementioned girls were cuddled up on either side of him with peacefully smiling faces then he would have sworn that it was some sort of demented fever dream that he came up with after realizing he failed the test. With a sigh he looked over at the cute and angelic looking Musubi, her sweet smile and large innocent eyes showing a trust and happiness that he almost couldn't fathom. She had boundless energy, eagerness to please, and she was a ray of sunshine placed in the package of a beautiful woman.

Turning around he took in Haihane, her dangerous and frighteningly gothic exterior very different from what her actual personality was. He had only known her for a few short hours but he found that at heart she was very cheerful and jovial, making jokes about the large size of Musubi's breasts while the target of the jokes didn't get them or didn't care. It was odd seeing the grim reaper girl appear so at ease, especially when she laughed until her stomach hurt...

Shaking his head he tried to get his thoughts back in the straight and narrow once more, his mind settling back into place with a dull throb pounding at the back of his eyes, "How are you feeling Musubi, any better?"

Musubi nodded with her typical enthusiastic vigor, her smile wide and spectacular as she hugged Minato's arm even harder into her tremendous bosom, "Yes Minato-sama, thank you very much, you truly, truly, truly are my savior! Musubi is really happy you are my Ashikabi!"

With a soft blush Minato smiled, turning to Haihane as he spoke again, "And are you alright Haihane? Can I get you anything?"

Cracking open her one visible eye Haihane shook her head, closing it just as quickly before slightly nuzzling into Minato's other arm, "No, I'm good." Minato was thankful that he had been able to convince Haihane to remove her gauntlets and leave them by the door otherwise he was certain he would be sporting a few new scars.

"Okay so could either of you explain what this whole Sekirei and Ashikabi thing is about?" Minato pleaded, his voice filled with exasperation and exhaustion.

"Well we are Sekirei Minato-sama," Musubi said with a helpful smile, "We were born for our Ashikabi which is you!"

"Um...Musubi that isn't really-" Minato began but seeing the hopeful look in her eyes he couldn't finish his sentence, his kind heart not wanting to shatter that innocent smile by pointing out she hadn't explained a single thing.

"It's simple Minato," Haihane suddenly spoke, her eyes never opening as she softly sighed, "There are 108 Sekirei that were raised and trained by the M.B.I. for the purpose of playing this Sekirei Plan. All 108 Sekirei go out and look for their destined partners, their Ashikabi, who they bond to by getting winged. A Sekirei is winged when the Sekirei and the Ashikabi touch mucus membranes, usually through a kiss, which transfers some of the DNA from the Ashikabi to the Sekirei and marks them for that Ashikabi now and forever."

Minato and Musubi stared in wide eyed surprise, the mostly quiet Haihane whose longest stretch of any vocal communication had been a few words for her jokes had just explained absolutely everything without even pausing for breath. Musubi was the first to respond, her hands clapping with excitement as she spoke, "That's right Haihane-san! After a Sekirei is winged by her Ashikabi-sama then she gets her full power to participate in the Sekirei plan!"

"But..." Minato began, his speech a bit staggered as he thought of his next question, "Why did you choose me? I mean...I'm a second year failure, I can barely make ends meet, and I certainly don't deserve a beautiful girl let alone two who want to be around me."

Sighing softly Haihane shook her head, her visible eye opening as she spoke, "You weren't exactly chosen Minato. It's more like you were pulled into it, but still..."

As Haihane trailed off in her speech Musubi took the initiative, her hand reaching down and taking his own. With his limb carefully cupped in her soft and delicate fingers she pressed his palm up against her chest, his face turning a bright crimson from her actions, "Minato-sama...can you feel my heart?"

Minato swallowed, valiantly keeping his mind out of the gutter as he nodded, "Y-Yeah..."

Sure enough Musubi's heart was pounding, a heavy thundering in her chest as a slightly red hue made its way onto her face, "It races just for you, you make my body feel like its on fire Minato-sama. When I react like this then it's enough for me to know that I love Minato-san."

Without warning Minato felt a soft palm at his cheek, the bandaged hand of Haihane turning his head to face her. Minato swiftly found Haihane had pressed her lips to his own, brilliant wings of light extending from her back before she calmly separated from him, "The same goes for me Minato...one look and I knew I was yours."

Minato's eyes widened at the sensation, his own body beginning to heat as his heart began to thump. The longer he looked into Haihane's surprisingly caring eyes the more his face began to heat, a red hot blush overcoming his cheeks as she began to mirror the crimson discoloration. From the hand touching Musubi he could feel a blazing fire rise from where her body touched his, the pounding vibration beneath his hand increasing with speed the longer his hand rested between her bountiful bosom. What in the world was this feeling?

It took a moment to clear his head but Minato finally shook off the surprising revelation, his hand gingerly retrieved from Musubi as he resumed his normal seated position, "But what happens during this Sekirei plan?"

Unlike the previous conversation where Haihane and Musubi were calm and relaxed they suddenly broke out with a passionate flare, their eyes ablaze with fiery enthusiasm as they answered in perfect tandem "_They fight_!"

"E-Excuse me?" In the face of the girls sheer energy Minato felt overwhelmed, his surprise from the previous conversation a drop of rainwater in a raging ocean compared to now.

"They fight," Haihane spoke up first, her eyes wide open and gleaming with anticipation, "and fight and fight until only one stands." Haihane's fist clenched as a slick tongue rolled over her lips, winged or not she still loved battle and the thrill it gave, "It's one big battle royal between all the Sekirei in the game."

Musubi nodded swiftly, her fists clenching as she thought of the battles to come, "The Sekirei and Ashikabi that make it to the end reach ascension and get to stay together forever!"

"W-Wait, what?" Minato shouted in surprise, looking between the two girls who had now situated themselves to be kneeling in front of Minato with excited faces, "So you mean you have to fight others like yourselves? Like the twins in S&M clothes from yesterday?"

Haihane nodded quickly, her fingers held out as if she were still brandishing her gauntlets and twitching in anticipation, "Yep, we Sekirei fight all the way to the bitter end, the loser is eliminated from the game and the winner goes on to fight some more."

Musubi pumped a fist in the air, her voice giving a short cheer before her next words, "And Musubi will be the strongest so she can make it all the way to the top!"

Minato was at a loss for words, eliminated, fighting, only one standing? What was all this madness about! Just as he opened his mouth to ask his next question a sudden pounding on his door cut him short, a fist repeatedly slamming on the sturdy wood announcing a presence demanding his attention, "Hey! Sahashi! I heard a racket up here from downstairs, do you have a girl with you in there! That apartment's a single and it's a violation of your contract!"

"Oh no," Minato groaned, his body springing up from his place on the floor and into a standing position in a matter of seconds. "It's my landlord, if he sees you here he's going to evict me for sure!" the urgency in Minato's loud whisper was evident as he looked all around his room for hiding places. After one quick scan of his small living space he noticed that the only hiding place he could see was the single bathroom. It wasn't particularly large and it might not fit the two comfortably, especially with Haihane's height and Musubi's bust, but as it was that was the best option he could find. "Alright, Musubi-san and Haihane-san you'll need to-" Minato began as he turned back to face the girls...only to find that Haihane had stood up and answered the door in his stead.

"Hello," Haihane spoke in her usual bored sounding voice, her unruly silver hair casting a perfectly terrifying shadow over her ghastly sanpaku eyes, "Can I help you?"

The landlord screamed in surprise, a hand fisting over his heart as he frantically backed up to the railing. Minato quickly rushed over to the door, kindly guiding Haihane back inside before he gave the landlord and apologetic smile, "Eh heh...um, hello. Can I help you landlord-san?"

Minato watched as the landlords face turned beet red, fury building up inside of him until it reached a catastrophic boiling point, "That's it Sahashi! I want you out of this apartment by the end of the week no excuses!" With that the landlord left, his heavy footsteps shaking the staircase as Minato stood there in surprise and horror.

"Huh...well that sucks," Haihane muttered, scratching the top of her head with bandaged fingers, "should we start looking for somewhere else?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Damn landlord," Minato muttered as he stomped down the sidewalk, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as he continued his grumbling rant, "Kicks me out right at the end of moving season...not even a single break...damn it."

"Things could be worse," Haihane mused, her claws firmly in place as she oh so carefully tapped the tip of her narrow chin with the end of a barbed blade, "he could have wanted you out at the end of the day."

Minato shook his head, Haihane's attempt at comfort sounding cold and unsettling at the moment, "Maybe...but that doesn't help our homeless situation."

"I'm sorry Minato-san," Musubi said with a few frantic bows, her cute features marred by an apologetic face, "because of Haihane-san and Musubi you were kicked out of your home. And Musubi can't find her M.B.I. card so Musubi can't help Minato-san find a new home."

"It's alright Musubi," Minato said with a smile, a friendly and forgiving grin almost erasing every last bit of Musubi's anxieties, "it shouldn't be too hard to find somewhere to live."

"Hm, I'm not so sure of that Minato," Haihane muttered, her eyes glancing around the streets in curiosity as the new sights assaulted her senses, "you said it yourself it's the end of moving season so every place must be filled up...and I don't have my card too so I can't help either."

Choosing to ignore the bleaker point of Haihane's speech Minato instead focused on the second part of her comment, "You've both said M.B.I. cards now, what are they?"

"Each Sekirei is given an M.B.I. V.I.P. card with an unlimited balance," Musubi chirped up, her smile loosening as she spoke in a more regretful tone, "Musubi forgot hers because she was too excited about finding her Ashikabi."

A frown touched Haihane's lips as she responded, her tone carrying a hint of heat while her eyes glared out at nothing, "I was pushed out the door before I could get mine."

Despite Musubi's regretful reaction and Haihane's irritated one Minato offered the two a soft smile, a slightly nervous expression as he gently waved his hands to diffuse the situation, "No, no it's alright.'Take care of your business by yourself and by any means.' That's what my mom told me ever since I was a little kid so thanks for the thought but I couldn't even if you did have your cards."

"Minato-sama..." Musubi said with wide eyes, her heart beginning to beat just a bit faster at Minato's speech.

"Minato..." Haihane uttered in admiration, her eyes wide as she looked over her Ashikabi with a fire in her soul.

"So I'm thinking that since we're all going to be staying together for a while," Minato began, a soft smile on his face as he gave the pair a slight shrug, "How would you feel about living together?"  
Musubi and Haihane could have set a watch with the instant their hearts began to pound, heat burning through them with Minato's innocent words, "I'm broke right now so it might be a bit tough..."

"Yes!" Both of them spoke at the same time, their synchronization and volume surprising even them as they turned from Minato to one another. For a moment Haihane and Musubi just looked at one another; however that only lasted a short time before they nodded and turned back to Minato, "Musubi will try her best Minato-sama!"

"I am with you forever Minato," Haihane said with a smirk and a slight blush, "whether you like it or not."

Minato's smile grew wider as he felt heat grow within him, what was this odd sensation? Was it happiness...or was it perhaps something else? Pumping his fist in the air Minato cheered, "Alright! Let's go out and find us a house!"

"Yeah!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thirty places," Minato grumbled quietly, his head buried in his hands as he sighed to himself on the park bench, "Thirty places and still a complete failure..."

"Don't worry Minato-sama!" Musubi pleaded, a hopeful smile on her lips while one arm wrapped around Minato's shoulder and pressed her breasts into his shoulder, "I'm sure we'll find something soon."

A soft hand laid itself on Minato's free shoulder, the grey bandages of Haihane's fingers giving her away as she spoke, "Big boobs is right, we've still got a few days right?"

Minato chuckled a bit, a stiff and sardonic laughter that sent a sharp chill through the kind Sekirei, "I...I'm sorry but I can't...Musubi-san, Haihane-san I just can't."

"You can't what Minato?" Haihane asked, an eyebrow rising over her visible eye.

"I can't be one," Minato said, his body slowly sloughing off the two girls from his shoulders. Minato's fists clenched as he began to shake, his body tearing away from the girls comforting touches as he stood up, "An Ashikabi is someone special right? I'm just a failure of a student who just got kicked out of his house, I can't be an Ashikabi."

"Minato-sama..." Musubi said softly, wide eyes gazing over her trembling Ashikabi, Minato's body quaking before her very eyes and sending a pang of pain through her very heart.

Haihane pushed herself up from the bench with a quiet grunt, her claws laying beside the bench as she stood next to Minato, "Minato, are you dead?"

"Wh...what? What does that have to do with anything Haihane-san?" Minato questioned, turning around to face the gaunt girl with his face contorted in annoyance, "I'm saying that I can't be an Ashikabi not that I'm de-"

Soft lips cut off his next words, the surprisingly gently touch of Haihane's mouth on his drowning out his next words as the wings of light from before reappeared. Breaking away Haihane softly smiled, her wrapped fingers gently caressing Minato's cheeks as a blushed worked its way onto her face, "You could be living under a bridge and missing two legs Minato...as long as you're alive, you're my Ashikabi."

Taking a step back in surprise Minato quickly found himself being spun around, Musubi copying Haihane's movements and pressing her lips tightly against his own. Just as with Haihane bright wings of light burst from the busty girls back, the darkness of the park drowning in the combined luminescence of the two winged Sekirei, "Minato-sama is Musubi's Ashikabi-sama too, now and forever no matter what he's like!"

Blinking a bit Minato looked between the two angelic beauties, Haihane the beautiful reaper, Musubi the well endowed cherub...and without warning his eyes began to tear. When did this start happening to him? When had he become so attached to these two that a few simple words could send him into a crying fit? Maybe it was loneliness he had felt since moving to the city, his entire family left behind as he struck out for a new life and opportunities. Maybe it was the fact that until now he had never had a girl interested in him, someone who cared about him and wanted him for him.  
As Minato forced the sleeve of his jacket into his eyes he realized that he didn't care, a quiet sob being strangled in his throat as hot salty tears forced their way down his cheeks. They were with him, now and forever. Until the end of everything he was their Ashikabi and they were his Sekirei. He might be a failure but he'd still try his hardest for them, to be the very best for them, no matter what it took. He didn't know when these feelings formed but...he knew one thing for sure. He would never, ever give up on them...

Haihane smiled softly at Minato's actions, her brilliant wings of indigo light gradually fading as the power of her Norito return to its calm and dormant state. What she said she had meant, her heart controlling her lips and speaking the truth of her soul to Minato with every ounce of being she had. She knew he was a bit of a loser, he was soft, and he was a wimp but...he was the only person, place, or thing in the world she would ever consider more important than a fight. For her, that was more than enough.

Musubi on the other hand was far more unaccustomed to tears than Haihane, her wings of light fading as she quickly rushed to Minato's side, "Minato-sama! Are you alright?"

Musubi's tone was flooded with concern, her dark orange eyes shimmering as tears of her own began to gather. However, Minato quickly looked up, a little puffiness surrounding his eyes and nothing more to show for his past sobs. In place of tears Minato wore a bright smile, a grin so large that it forced his eyes closed from the width, "I'm fine Musubi. We still have time before everything shuts down so let's get moving!"

"Yes! Let's go Mina-" Musubi began with a cheerful shout but was suddenly stopped, her expression transforming from joy to confusion. Slowly Musubi turned her head to the side, her eyes looking around like a dog listening for some far off whistle, "Haihane-san...do you feel that?"

Haihane swiftly nodded, a grin slowly spreading across her face as she reached down to retrieve her claws, "Yeah, I do...it's another Sekirei."

This face had an immediate effect on Minato, his surprise evident but kept in relatively calm control as he spoke, "Where? What direction?"

Haihane glanced at Musubi, both of them giving the other a brief nod before Haihane whispered, "Follow us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~

It was cold...even for her it was cold. No matter how close she pulled into herself it was cold...so cold. But she was out; she was no longer in that building anymore. No more needles, no more experiments, no more tests, no more idleness...outside. With a sigh she looked up to the sky, the clear night sky filled to the brim with stars even with the lights surrounding her. It was so dark out here...so cold...but peaceful, oh so peaceful.

Now all she needed was a place.

Subconsciously her finger traced over the mark on her forehead, the slight elevation of her skin branding her before she could even get a chance...sacrifice one for the good of the many. It was a term she had heard often enough, she was the supreme sacrifice, the one out of one hundred and eight that would give the rest a chance...she would give them all a better life with their Ashikabi.

A slight wind blew over the bench on which she sat, her arms reflexively pulling the bloodied lab coat around her closer. They could have stopped her, they could have sent the trio after her to bring her back, more tests, more needles. She was useless out here, no connection, no master, no Ashikabi. She sighed once more, looking up at the sky and at the nearly full moon...how nice it must be to be winged.

"Hello," a sudden voice brought her out of her musings, a masculine voice drawing her gaze down from the moon. Standing before her was a young dark haired man, his eyes staring into her own as he knelt in front of her. For a moment she felt a pull, a small tug straining at her chest before it vanished, her eyes regarding him with curiosity as he continued to speak, "My name is Minato...who are you?"

She thought for a moment, continuing to stare into his dark eyes. They were something different, something warmer than what she had seen before. The doctors always looked at her with hard eyes, with orbs made of marble or steel. His eyes held a heat, compassion to them...they felt human, "Akitsu..."

"It's nice to meet you Akitsu-san," Minato said, that calm and kind tone of voice reverberating within her, it was so new...she was not used to it at all. He stood up and took a slight step back, she had to fight the urge to reach out and pull him down, to bring him closer to her as he turned to his side. Holding out an arm he indicated the two girls a little ways off both mostly hidden in the shadows of the trees, one of ghastly grey and the other in warm pink, "That is Haihane-san and Musubi-san."

Both gave her a timid wave, something she didn't respond to...something about the grey one...

"Akitsu-san," Minato began as he knelt in front of her again, "are you a Sekirei?" This surprised her, her eyes jumping open as he asked the question. They were quick to settle though, yes she was, she was a Sekirei. She could use her powers like any other; she could freeze them all in seconds and thaw them out just as quickly...she was still useless.

She nodded silently, bowing her head to hide her mark, "I am broken...a failure Sekirei..."

Without sensing any movement she felt a sudden warmth wrap around her, surprise lighting up her eyes as she looked to find Minato had covered her with his jacket, "You don't look like a failure. I've failed enough tests to know what a failure looks like too."

Akitsu remained mute as she looked down at the brown garment that was now around her shoulders, the residual body heat warming her swiftly as her hands grabbed hold and pulled it close, "I...cannot be winged...I can never...have an Ashikabi."

Shrugging slightly Minato smiled, one hand reaching up and touching her shoulder as he spoke, "That doesn't mean you're a failure and it doesn't mean you can't be someones Sekirei." Glancing to Akitsu he could see the confusion in her eyes, her emotion easily broadcasted when compared to her other stone faced responses. Chuckling slightly Minato continued on with his words, "I thought I couldn't be anything because I'm a failure at a lot of things but...I'm an Ashikabi with two really amazing Sekirei and even if I am a failure, there's no way I would or could change that for the world."

"Minato..." Akitsu whispered, her eyes fixed on the young man sitting next to her, heat filling her body the longer she looked at the soft smile of his.

"Excuse me," a new voice suddenly spoke up, a high and slightly nasally tone shattering the atmosphere and drawing all attention to the speaker, "Sorry to interrupt but I'm really interested in that Sekirei by your side." At the entrance to the small park clearing was a fifteen year old boy, his brown hair fluttering in the breeze as his pure white and finely pressed clothes spoke of money and majesty.

By his side were two girls, one had long brown hair and a simply white and black dress to covered her body. On her hands were black leather gloves and on her legs were long black high heeled boots over a pair of matching black stockings. In her hair was a deep purple ribbon and slung over her shoulder was a large and formidable death scythe, the highly polished blade gleaming with the sparse light of the streets.

The other girl was dressed in a simple black single piece sleeveless dress, the hem barely coming to the mid of her thigh as a wide yellow strip ran down from her neck to the bottom. Her hair was a light honey yellow blond which was pulled into two distinct tails on either side of her head. On her legs she wore thigh high black leather high heeled boots and attached to her side was a long whip, a powerful ranged weapon with a heavy iron tip at the end.

Akitsu looked over the boy, his eyes holding the same coldness of the scientists. The same gaze, as if one were looking at an object, non sentient, unmoving, not alive. Those eyes, those cold and uncaring eyes, it made her shiver and pull Minato's jacket closer.

"Who are you?" Minato spoke up surprising Akitsu, his firm tone at ends with the shaking she could feel vibrating from his body.

The boy smiled, a gesture that reminded Akitsu of a crocodile with its teeth filed flat, "The name's Mikogami Hayato and I really want that broken Sekirei there so how about you hand her over before things get ugly, hm?"

The end of his finger sent another jab of cold into her body, a slight shivering erupting within her...but, he wanted her. He wanted to make use of her. She could grow used to the cold...she could hide how she felt...as long as she could be useful...she wouldn't be thrown away...

"I-I don't care how much you want her," Minato spoke, a cold and nervous sweat breaking out along his brow as his shaking fist clenched harder, "I want A-Akitsu-san to be my Sekirei."

Heat returned, the shivering had stopped, she was wanted...she was warm...she was needed by the heat...

"Oh but I think she'll be much happier with me," the brown haired boy said with a smile, his hand going to his chest with flamboyant flare, "I can give her anything she wants not matter what the cost." Suddenly a thin drip of drool started to slip down the side of his mouth, his hand quickly wiping it away as he cheerfully spoke, "Besides she's such a one of a kind item I just NEED to have her!"

Item, she was nothing but an item to him...not a Sekirei, not a partner, not a friend...an item.

"Item?" Minato glared, disgust thick in his voice despite his quivering nerves, "She isn't an item, she's a living being!"

"Hmph, this is getting us nowhere," Mikogami said with a smirk, his fingers lifting up and snapping sharply, "Guess I'll have to take her by force. Yomi, Mitsuha!"

Instantly the two girls were standing in front of the brown haired boy, each with their weapons drawn and a grin on their faces. The girl with the scythe was first to speak, her scythe held at the ready as she grinned darkly, "We've been ordered to get that broken number and we're not leaving without it!"

The whip girl nodded, her hands fisting in her leather whips before pulling it taught between her two hands, "Last chance to give her up kid before you get hurt!"

Akitsu looked up to Minato, his anger was still present but his apprehension...the worry...she could see it in his eyes...this emotion...all of these emotions. They were so new...she wanted to know them all...feel them all...from those kind eyes.

"Haihane, Musubi," Minato spoke, the two girls from before appearing before Akitsu and Minato from their hiding place, "Do you think you can slow them down?"

The grey one nodded with a dark chuckle, her hands spread wide so that her blades glimmered in the moonlight. The pink one simply nodded, her expression firm and her fists at the ready as she prepared to fight. The grey one made her uneasy but the pink one...she was kind.

"I'm going to try taking Akitsu-san out of here," Minato spoke, she could feel her heart soar...he wanted her...a broken number...she was useful to him.

"Hey Minato," the grey one spoke up, excitement filling her tone as he cold steel quivered in anticipation, "can I kill them?"

Minato suddenly froze, his entire body turning to stone as the grey one hissed her request. Minato's head turned to face the grey one, her back still squarely turned to him as she stared down the opponents, her claws at the ready and prepared to shed blood and end lives for her Ashikabi.

Akitsu could feel the fear in him the moment the grey girl spoke...those words scared him...to kill...to take life...it frightened him...it made him uncomfortable...she would stop it.

"Minato-sama," Akitsu suddenly spoke, her sudden voice bringing his face around to look into her own, "I am yours, now and forever." Leaning in Akitsu softly pressed her lips against Minato's, her body bursting with heat but no wings of light erupting from her back. She was still a failure...her wings destined to remain broken forever...but she was wanted and that was all that mattered...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And there you go ladies and gents! What do you think? A little bit different than the usual story neh? If you have questions feel free to ask in a review, I will certainly answer them all to the best of my ability. Have a nice day and see you next time!

P.S. if anyone wants to be a beta, I'm currently looking for a new one. I'm just throwing that out here now to test the waters and see if anyone is interested.


	3. Home at Last

Well would you look at that, I actually updated mega fast again! I guess I've got the Sekirei fever going pretty hardcore eh? Well I don't really see anyone complaining so I will take that as a good sign for now. I hope you enjoy this chapter because I know for a fact I won't be able to update this again until at least next week, I've got a bit of a fancy shindig to go to this weekend so I won't be back until Monday. Please don't let that stop you from reading, enjoying, and reviewing this latest chapter of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 3: Home at Last  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akitsu parted the kiss softly, her face blushing a brilliant crimson as she whispered, "My Ashikabi-sama...I will serve you forever and ever."

"Adorable," Mikogami said with a chuckle, shaking his head as he shrugged, "but the beauty is that she can't be winged which means she can belong to anyone and I still intend on owning her. Get me that Sekirei!"

Akitsu quickly turned her attention from the blushing Minato to the incoming Sekirei, her free hand suddenly shooting out at the approaching pair with nary a word crossing her lips. Without warning thick spires of ice rose from the ground, rapidly condensing water from the atmosphere cracking the solid stone with its sudden sub-zero temperatures. Frosty fury flowed along the earth with the speed of a white water rapid, sturdy cement shattering from the instant temperature change as the path snaked its way between Musubi and Haihane. The torrent of bitter cold continued its assault, undeterred by any resistance until it came upon the two advancing Sekirei with an arctic vengeance. Like a massive white cap wave the ice rose into the air, an ascending wall of glimmering crystals opening to a monstrous maw of ferocious frostbite.

From the moment Akitsu raised her hand to the moment her two opponents were frozen to their chests in complete cold was less than a second, their eyes barely able to follow the movement before their teeth chattered against one another from the sheer glacial sensation. Haihane blinked a bit before turning back to Akitsu, her one eye wide as her mouth opened to a single word, "Damn."  
Akitsu's hand hovered for a few moments, her deep grey eyes staring at the stunned Mikogami for a second longer before she slumped down into Minato's arms, conscious leaving her as the trials of the past few days finally sapped the last of her strength.

"Akitsu!" Minato called, worry flooding his tone as he looked at the pale woman in his arms. His fingers gently brushed away the pale brown locks away from her eyes, her peacefully slumbering expression enough to fill him with a sense of relief, "She's still alive, good."

A sharp curse filled the air, Minato's attention breaking from Akitsu's sleeping face to the trail of crystals lying at his feet. Following the path he came to the frozen pair of Mikogami's Sekirei, each of them trying their very best to break free of their permafrost prisons with whatever weapons were on hand. A flurry of vile swears and slanders spewed from the mouth of the whip wielding one, her long leather weapon unfurled and valiantly striking at the ice surrounding her, chattering teeth hissing out promises of a slow and painful death the moment she was free. Likewise the scythe wielder was snarling deadly threats as she chipped away at the cold container with the edge of her blade, each strike shaving off just a bit more and getting her closer and closer to freedom. He needed to think of something, something that wouldn't end up in them fighting...something that wouldn't end with Haihane's request...he needed to find a way out now!

Thinking as quickly as he could he turned to his Sekirei, a shaky plan forming in his mind as he started to speak, "Musubi, take Akitsu and don't let her go no matter what!"

Musubi placed the unconscious Akitsu on her back with all the speed she could muster, the sleeping girl mumbling nonsense but nothing more as she settled into the chesty fighters back. The moment Akitsu was secure Minato shoot his head up like a frightened meerkat, his vision turning this way and that as he searched for some route of escape. The sound of shattering ice filled the air as Minato pointed in one direction, a random grab for freedom as he shouted, "That way! We'll lose them in the park!"

Musubi was off like a shot, her body rising into the sky as if gravity had released her from its eternal hold, the slumbering Akitsu not even registering the incredibly movement in her exhausted unconsciousness. Just as Musubi had leapt into the dark Minato felt a heavy pressure wrap around his waist, the cool touch of metal chilling him through his shirt seconds before he was suddenly launched into the air. Wind whistled in his ear as her climbed with incredible force, his entire body struggling to right itself from the rapid ascension into the clear night sky. Minato quickly grabbed onto the nearest object he could, one strong tug putting him nearly face to face with the one who had grabbed onto him in the first place, Haihane. Seeing her Ashikabi so close sent the beginnings of a blush across her face, a playful glint sparking in her eye as a small smirk crossed her lips, "Hey...you might want to hold on."

Minato blanched as he looked down, the distant ground sending shivers down his spine as he thought of the two story drop following a seconds lapse in his grip, "You could have said that sooner!" Glancing up ahead he could see Musubi leading them, the peacefully slumbering Akitsu resting on her back as the heavy breasted fighter leapt ridiculous distances in a single bound. Taking one more look at the vanishing ground Minato closed his eyes tightly, his arms holding tight around Haihane's chest and praying that the insanity would stop, even if it was just for a second.

Haihane felt heat burst throughout her body as Minato held her close, every cell in her form searing from his sweltering touch...despite the cool wind of the evening she began to sweat. Her slight blush from before was now a full on crimson fire as he held ever tighter, every bounding leap causing him to give her a squeeze. Every embrace from Minato made her teeth to bite into her tongue, a throaty moan quickly stifled by the jolt of pain running through her system. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a Love Motel...Musubi wouldn't miss them for a few hours now would she?

"Minato-sama! Minato-sama!" Musubi yelled out, an annoyed glare coming from Haihane as Minato cautiously looked away from his tight hold on the curvy reaper. Sure enough Musubi had found a small side exit to the park, their path leading in that direction and toward a part of the city he was still completely unfamiliar with. Looking around rather quickly her caught a glimpse of one home with its lights still on, a traditional two story house that looked rather out of place with the more modern and conventional houses surrounding it.

Taking a chance Minato's hand shot out, his finger pointing at that one odd house praying for all his worth that the people inside were the kind and generous sort, "There!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miya let calming sigh out into the dark of the night as she gave the porch one last sweep, the chilled evening air doing a great deal to calm her. It was days like this that she enjoyed being the manager of the small Inn, quiet evenings which a person could just let their worries and fears float out into the starry sky. Smiling softly she glanced around the porch, taking one last inspection of her handy work before heading in to get a good nights sleep...

"Excuse me!" A voice suddenly broke Miya out of her musings, a young dark haired man swiftly walking up to her and bowing low with every step, "I apologize for the intrusion but please, can you help us?"

The boy's voice was frantic and it wasn't long before she saw why. Resting on his back was a women, nearly naked by the look of it, and judging by her pale complexion and the amount of blood that was on the coat the surrounded her, she was not in the best of conditions. Trailing behind the young man were two other women, one dressed up in a heavily altered Miko type garb and scarlet sparring gloves while the other was covered by bandages and a tattered kimono with two dangerous looking clawed gauntlets on the ends of her hands. "Oh dear," Miya said with a kind smile, "I'm sorry but I'm afraid we cannot house criminals at this Inn."

The young man stared in confusion for a moment before shaking his head, his bowing lower than ever despite the weight of the woman on his back, "I promise that none of us are criminals! We were just attacked and need help in treating my friend!"

Miya's eyes hardened to solid stone the moment she saw the mark on the woman's brow, a seconds lapse of concentration caught by none as she softened her features with a kind smile, "Of course, of course. Please come in while we help your...erm, 'friend.'"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is a real nice place Minato," Haihane muttered as she glanced around the living room area, her clawed gauntlets placed by the door on request of the purple haired women whom had welcomed them into her home. The grey reaper had taken to lying somewhat sprawled out on the floor, hands behind her back with one knee bent and her tattered kimono slipping from her shoulders.

"Musubi agrees with Haihane-san," Musubi said with awe and wonder, a single finger on her lips as she looked around, "this is much nicer than Minato-sama's apartment." In contrast to Haihane's sloppy seating was Musubi, her legs tucked beneath her as she sat up straight and with calm poise.

With his legs crossed and a slight hunch to his back Minato sat between the girls, his dark eyes looking around with amazement and appreciation for the traditional decor, "I'm not going to argue...if we could find a place like this then it would be heaven." Both girls gave a noise of agreement but nothing more, all of them to absorbed in the kind and welcoming atmosphere of the small two story home.

Without warning the landlady, Miya, appeared from the hall, her sleeves pulled to her shoulders and a small water basin held between her two hands, "It appears that the Akitsu-san is experiencing a bit of exhaustion, she should be fine in the morning." Miya gave the three a smile as she walked past them, entering the kitchen and emptying the basin before returning and taking her place on the other side of the table. Like Musubi Miya sat very properly, her back straight and her pose a perfect picture of traditional values and genteel grace.

"Thank you very much," Minato said with a deep bow, his forehead nearly knocking the table with the depth of his gratitude, "You don't know how much this means to me!"

"Oh it's quite alright, Sahashi-san was it?" Miya questioned, her eyebrow lifting slightly as Minato nodded his head. "Though I must ask what led Akitsu-san to such a state," Miya asked with an innocent smile, a hazy image of some sort of monstrous beast hovering behind her kind grin, "and why exactly Sahashi-san brought Akitsu-san here in that condition."

Minato sweat a bit, his brow spotting with nervous perspiration as he attempted to formulate some sort of convincing lie to tell. Unfortunately Musubi was faster than him, her hands happily clapping together as she spoke, "Minato-sama found Akitsu-san abandoned in the park and since she was a Seki-"

Minato quickly slapped a hand over Musubi's mouth, his body pulling close to hers as he quickly whispered, "Musubi, remember about punishment from the M.B.I. if we told anyone about the plan?"

A light of realization sprang forth from Musubi's dark orange eyes, her head nodding as Minato removed his hand from her mouth, "Oh yeah, Musubi forgot Minato-sama, I'm sorry."

With a relieved sigh Minato moved away from Musubi, a pleasant smile on his face as he started to speak. Yet, just as before he found himself interrupted as Haihane took the opportunity to speak, "You look familiar...were you ever part of the M.B.-"

In a flash Minato clapped a hand over Haihane's mouth, his panicking whisper echoing in her ear as he leaned in close , "Nothing about M.B.I. or Sekirei plan or we get killed remember!"

Haihane just stared at Minato for a moment, his dark irises simply dripping with worry and nervousness as he pleaded for her to keep her mouth shut. With a slight blush on her cheeks she nodded, Minato leaning back into his seat as Haihane turned to look at the landlady. She looked so familiar...but from where...who was this purple haired woman?

Minato turned to Miya with a nervous chuckle, his shaky voice and uncertain tone not at all convincing as he began his tale, "I-I'm sorry...it's just been a very long night for us. You see...uh...my three friends were...um...cosplaying and some thugs got too rough with them...and they started attacking us so we ran away."

For a good long while Miya looked into Minato's eyes, her deep purple orbs searching his own for something, a deep probing examination seeming to reach into the very depths of his person for the answer. Just as Minato felt he could take no more Miya gave him a kind smile, "Ah, well than that is another matter entirely. Please, feel free to stay until Akitsu-san is rested and you can return home safely in the morning."

Minato was absolutely dumbfounded that it had worked, his expression going from worry to surprise in the matter of a millisecond. However that itself was quick to pass as he bowed again, gratefulness in his voice as well as heavy sense of relief, "Thank you very much! We promise not to be too much of a burden."

Musubi bowed deeply, her cheerful smile back in place as she spoke, "Thank you!"

Haihane copied her albeit with a sloppier and more casual air, "Thanks."

Miya laughed softly, her head bowing quickly in return as Minato looked up, "It is quite alright Sahashi-san; it was always my husbands policy to never turn away those in need of help. At the moment we have two unoccupied rooms so Musubi-san and Haihane-san will be sharing 204 while Sahashi-san uses 202."

Musubi and Haihane instantly deflated, Musubi being the first one to voice her dislike of the sudden announcement, "But Musubi wants to sleep with Minato-sama."

"Me too," Haihane muttered, her slumped position betraying the thunderous racket her heart was making at the prospect of being separated from Minato.

Miya's smile suddenly turned very cold, the hazy image from before turning crystal clear and forming the face of a terrifying hannya from the very depths of hell, "Oh dear, that won't do. At this Inn I forbid any illicit or obscene sexual activities between people who are not yet married."

Musubi and Haihane were shocked into silence, both of them shivering from the sheer overwhelming terror that the women before them could produce. Minato only just barley able to stutter out his next words, "Y-Yes landlady-san, I-I think we understand."

"Do you?" Miya asked, turning her head to face Musubi and Haihane in turn.

"Musubi understands landlady-san!"

"Yeah...I got it."

Instantly the visage vanished, Miya's smile returning to her natural benign grin while all three came to the same conclusion, this woman was absolutely terrifying. Turning her attention back to Minato Miya spoke, her voice calm and proper with every word that left her mouth, "Good. Now Sahashi-san, there is something I would like to ask you."

"Um, alright. What would that be landlady-san?" Minato asked cautiously, his pounding heart slowly calming from the fright he suffered only moments before.

"Would you care to borrow some of my husband's old clothes? Yours seem to be a bit damaged," Miya said as she pointed to Minato's side, his eyes following her finger and finding the source of the question. All along Minato's one side were holes and tears along the fabric of his shirt, his old cotton cloth torn to shreds in one location while the rest seemed to be perfectly normal. Thinking for a bit Minato thought back to Haihane carrying him away from the battlefield, his body held close by one of her gauntlet covered arms...

Minato closed his eyes and gave off an embarrassed sigh, at least Haihane's claws hadn't sliced him to ribbons instead of his shirt, "Uh, yes...thank you very much landlady-san."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A quick change of clothes later and Minato was laying on a futon in a completely unfurnished room, a simple white blanket pulled over his body as he looked at the blank ceiling above. The room was spacious and comfortable, a modest bedroom with all he could ever desire. Yet, there was something about it that drew him here, something that was just a bit deeper than the esthetics of the small area. The room itself...it felt like a home. His apartment always had this feel of being artificial, a cold hole which he could bury his head until the sun rose again the next day. Here it felt warm; it felt like a place he would gladly call him home for as long as he could. The place also had more than enough room for himself and his three Sekirei, all of them having somewhere safe and warm to lay their bodies at night.

His Sekirei...in all of the confusion he had completely forgotten to see how they were doing after the confrontation with Mikogami.

Musubi was obvious enough with her emotions, her heart perpetually on her sleeve with a bright smile and energetic cheers. He briefly contemplated if there was anything that could anger her and then he remembered her face as she glared down Mikogami and his Sekirei. He could see her rage at Mikogami's disregard for Sekirei as toys, items for him to play with and nothing more. Minato remembered how often Musubi talked of love, how much that simple concept meant to her, and how harshly Mikogami had stomped all over it. It made sense that it was a hair trigger for her, love and destiny being the foundation of all of her hopes and dreams. Anyone that dared to speak ill of it in her presence were doing so of their own painful peril.

Then there was Akitsu, the cold and emotionally starved girl from the park. Even with his limited sense of empathy he could feel how much she had been hurt, how lonely she was sitting alone with no where to call a home. It only hit home harder when she mentioned she was a failure...she was broken...something he had felt more than a few times already. It only made him want to grow closer to her, to see if he could help her find that sense of belonging, that sense of home that he desired as well.

Finally was Haihane, the bandaged and clawed beauty whose personality was more of a mystery than all of the rest combined. She was calm, collected, cute, and most of all she seemed to enjoy life just as much as he or Musubi did. She would laugh until her stomach hurt, she would smile and crack jokes about Musubi's chest, she seemed just as normal and kind as the rest of them...

_'Can I kill them?'_

Those words haunted his subconscious, her tone befitting her ghastly presence as she spoke the words of a shinigami. She was so prepared to kill in his name, to spread blood and claim it all for him...it made him shiver. Who was this Haihane? What happened to the joking silver haired beauty that made his heart beat like a finely tuned drum? One minute she is smiling and having fun and the next she asks to kill, a thrill in her voice unlike anything he had ever heard before.

Shaking his head free of thoughts he let loose a quiet sigh, his head nuzzling into his pillow as a yawn broke out past his lips. That was a thought for another time...right now he was wondering if the landlady was open to renting out rooms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Long ago night had fallen, the darkness of the twilight hours descending upon all who lived in Izumo house...all except her.

Haihane was used to staying up late at night, her personal contemplations stirring her mind into an ever active state and keeping her awake well into the early hours of the morning. Those who spent only cursory time in her presence would call her slow, disconnected, almost out of touch with the reality around her. Really, she just liked to think...or rather, her mind never shut the hell up.  
It would ask questions, try to understand answers, and even attempt to unravel the mysteries of the universe with what was locked in her skull. It was because of this ever thinking mind that she would find herself wide awake at three in the morning, her tired eyes staring out into the night sky at a single star, wondering what it would look like if she were millions of miles closer. Wondering what the earth would look like from orbit. Thinking if there was anything left of where the Sekirei originally came from.

Only when she was fighting was she ever at peace, her adrenaline pumping and her life on the line with each battle fought. No thoughts, no weird contemplations keeping her awake, just action, continuous and thoughtless action driving her body on basic survival instinct. There was silence, for a few glorious moments there was silence and she could breath, she could smile, she could laugh. She loved to fight and she knew she was at her best when she fought...and when she was with him.

Sighing slightly her hands dug underneath either side of her pillow, bandaged limbs quickly drawing the edges up to cover as much of her head as she could with the soft material. Minato...how did he do it? How did he shut it up? His presence sent her heart into overdrive, her body lifting as if in the midst of a fighting rush, her mind silencing as every last bit of her focus was on him. She could think clearly around him, she wasn't always lost in her thoughts, hell she could joke and laugh like it was normal around him. Even as the battle between Mikogami's Sekirei began she could only think of him, impressing him, showing him her strength and determination to win for him...

If only Akitsu hadn't gone and interfered.

A wry smirk wormed its way across her lips as she thought of it, three days ago she had been prepared to accept an Ashikabi only to fight; no heart, no love, just to continue fighting to her hearts content. Now...it was so foreign to her, was this what happened to Sekirei after they were winged? Did they become so utterly devoted to their Ashikabi that they can't get him out of their mind?  
Letting the pillow flop down she decided it didn't matter, winged or not she wouldn't be getting any sleep...at least not here.

With the silence of a cats shadow Haihane rose up from her futon, her movements swift and silent as her blankets tumbled down and gathered at her waist. Haihane quietly made it to her feet, steps balanced on her tip-toes as she started to walk for the door...

"Haihane-san," a sudden voice shocked the grey reaper into turning around, the dark orange eyes of Musubi staring out from the shadows just above a tiny smile, "Where are you going?"

Haihane blinked a bit, her mouth speaking before she could come up with a lie, "Gonna sleep with Minato."

Musubi suddenly frowned, her own body rising to her feet and her hands clenching into loose fists, "That's not fair; Musubi was waiting for Haihane-san to fall asleep so Musubi could sleep with Minato-sama."

"Heh," Haihane started with a small smirk, her one eyed gaze turning heated as she stared down the busty fighter, "I called it so I get it."

Musubi gave Haihane an innocent smile, a challenging air gathering around her body as flashes of lightning seemed to connect the two girls eyes, "If Musubi is there first then she can sleep with Minato-sama instead of Haihane-san."

"You really want to wake up the landlady with your thumping? No way you can sneak around with those huge mega boobs of yours," Haihane chuckled, her eyes narrowing as Musubi blushed. Unlike Musubi, Haihane knew she was light enough on her feet to make it to Minato's room quickly without making too much noise; wearing massive metal gauntlets really did come in handy for agility training.

"Musubi won't have to if Musubi beats Haihane-san!" Musubi said triumphantly, her voice a loud whisper as she grinned brightly.

"Oh?" Haihane's voice edged into excitement as she glanced toward her claws in the corner of the room, "You wanna fight?"

Musubi shivered and shook her head, "Not after what landlady-san said about fighting. Musubi was thinking Jan-ken-po!"

Haihane smirked, the fire in her eyes building as she held out a single fisted hand, "Fine by me, get ready to lose Musubi."

"Musubi doesn't think so, Musubi will be sleeping with Minato-sama tonight," Musubi said with a dangerous grin, her innocent and cherubic demeanor giving way to the fierce fighter held inside.

_Jan-ken-po!_

Twenty games later and the two were locked in an ever continuing tie, their hands a blur as they threw down for the right to sleep with Minato in the same futon. Over and over they would play the same sign, each battle a tie on a chain without end.

"I'm not gonna give up Musubi," Haihane muttered, her hand throwing down another fist as Musubi did the same.

"Neither is Musubi!" Musubi replied as she tossed up a flat palm, Haihane copying her perfectly.

"Will you please be quiet? Minato-sama and I are trying to sleep and you two are rather loud," Akitsu muttered as she poked her head into their room, her auburn hair cascading down one side of her face as her tired eyes blinked slowly.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure," Haihane growled as the thrust out two fingers, "I just need to beat monster boobs once and I'll be there okay?"

Musubi nodded, her tongue sticking out the side of her mouth as she served up the same duel pronged attack, "It won't be long before Musubi wins Akitsu-san so go back to sleep with Minato-sama."

"Hn, alright," Akitsu muttered as she slid the door closed, her soft footsteps going down the hall as Musubi and Haihane continued to fight in their pseudo-battle...

That was until Haihane suddenly stopped, her hand frozen in mid cast as Akitsu's words finally sunk in and registered within her mind.

"Are you giving up Haihane-san?" Musubi asked with a cocky grin, victory in her eyes as she held her fist tightly.

"Akitsu just said she was sleeping with Minato," Haihane muttered, looking at Musubi with wide eyes.

The two of them couldn't get down the hall fast enough, their footsteps soft enough to not alert anyone but quick enough to take them to the room in a hurry. In a flash both girls flung open the door to the room, their jaws dropping and their eyes opening wide at the scene before them. Minato slept peacefully on the small futon in the center of the room, his calm face doing wonders to hasten to beating of the two girls hearts. However it was who was with him that sent their mouths to the floor and their eyes to open wide.

Lying beneath the blankets with Minato was Akitsu, her body laying flush atop his own and judging by what skin was showing the ice girl had neglected to put on any clothes before crawling in bed with Minato. In her sleep Akitsu mumbled something quietly before nuzzling her cheek into Minato's chest, the movement sending her impressive breasts to rub against some of his more sensitive regions and gaining a soft groan of approval from the sleeping young man.

Both girls stared at the scene in silence for a few moments before turning to one another, Haihane being the first to speak up, "I take right arm you take left?"

Musbui nodded, both of them settling down and grabbing hold of their preferred limb from Minato's body. Haihane could feel the warmth from Minato as she pressed his arm into her chest, her heart beginning to speed and a wonderful sense of calm flowing over her...and best of all, her brain had finally shut the hell up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soft, oh so very soft.

Of the number of soft things he had ever touched in his life he would have to say that the top three were somewhere on his body right now, the warm and cushioned comfort a welcome wake up after such an odd dream during the night.

However it only took Minato a quick second to open his eyes before he found out that his dreams were far from imaginary. Sure enough lying on is chest was a naked Akitsu, the auburn haired girl comfortably snoozing as she hugged closer to his torso. For a moment he thought about how light she actually felt before two very soft objects rubbed against his lower stomach, his face turning a bright red as he turned to the side and tried to place Akitsu out of his mind.

That however turned out to be a bad idea as he suddenly came face to face with Musubi, the perky girl greedily holding tightly to his arms and pressing it between the valley of her twin mountains. A sudden shift in her sleep drew Musubi's arms to gently press the bountiful pillows around Minato's bicep a little tighter, blood building up in his nose as he tried to raise his other arm to stifle the flow.  
Instead of immediate compliance Minato found his arm was stuck, his sudden jerk causing a soft moan to erupt from his other side and sending his sight over to where Haihane now slept. Haihane lay on her side next to Minato, her entire body seemingly latched onto his arm with everything she had. It seemed that even her legs had wrapped around his wrist and when he tried to pull his hand out...a slow trickle of blood slipped down his nose as he forced his head into the pillow and cinched his eyes shut, he needed to calm down and think of a way out of this quickly...

"Oh dear," A sudden voice interrupted his thoughts, his head turning with a snap and finding Miya standing in the doorway with a soup ladle in one hand. Behind her floated her intimidating and utterly terrifying hannya mask while her eyes took on a blank look of lifeless purple energy, "This certainly won't do."

"L-L-Landlady-san! I-It isn't what it looks like, I swear!" Minato pleaded his arms trying their best to pull out from where they were trapped beneath Musubi and Haihane.

Unfortunately Haihane had taken this moment to start awakening, Minato's struggles against her hold drawing a slow moan from her throat as she leaned in closer, "Mmm...Minato, I didn't know you were this energetic in the morning...wanna give me a workout 'Ashikabi-sama'?"

Minato could feel the killer intent flooding the room as Miya's mask grew even larger, her ladle being brought up and wielded like a sharpened sword, "Oh no..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I do apologize for the strict punishment," Miya said with a kind smile, her hand gracefully holding a fine porcelain cup filled with her morning tea, "however I cannot allow these kinds of things under my roof Sahashi-san."

"Y-Yes," Minato said with as much politeness as he could muster, his face wincing with pain as he touched the new welt on his skull, "I understand and apologize."

"Musubi apologizes too," Musubi whimpered, her palm gently trying to brush away the pain but failing.

"Yeah, me too. Sorry," Haihane muttered, her bandaged fingers massaging at the fresh bruise on her skull.

"I apologize and I thank you for helping me Miya-san," Akitsu announced with a bow, her head dipping before resuming her proper seat, legs tucked beneath her body and hands politely settled in her lap. Like the others there was a large swelling atop her own skull but it seemed to not faze her in the least, her tired and stone faced expression unchanging despite the pain the wound caused. Akitsu had also changed clothes from her cold night in the park, a simple cream colored kimono replacing the old and bloodied lab coat she had worn before.

"It was no problem at all Akitsu-san," Miya took a small sip of her tea, relishing in the flavor and the warmth it brought to her morning, "I understand it is very difficult having a...friend whom is a sexual predator." Minato's face turned ashen, color draining from his features while Miya acted as if she had commented about the weather.

"What's a sexual predator?" Musubi wondered aloud, a finger tapping her chin in confusion as she forgot all about the throbbing in her skull.

"It means that Minato wants to bang us stupid," Haihane commented, her playful tone matching the small smirk on her lips, "Wouldn't take much for you mega boobs."

"Is that what Minato-sama wishes?" Akitsu questioned, her head turning to Minato with her natural neutral expression, "Minato-sama only needs to say the word and I will do as he bids."

"I-I am not a sexual predator!" Minato shouted, his voice desperate for anyone to believe him.

Miya was quick to giggle at Minato's vehement defense of his honor, a single hand lifting to her mouth as she chuckled, "If you say so Sahashi-san. Now I must ask that you do return the clothing you have borrowed after you have found suitable replacements. I would like to keep property of this Inn on the premises if at all possible."

"A-Actually, about that landlady-san," Minato began, every bit of courage building up in his body as he spoke, "there is something I would like to ask you."

Miya nodded, "Alright Sahashi-san but you should make it quick, my borders will awaken any moment for breakfast and I can assure you they are quite talkative in the morning."

With the mention of borders Minato threw all of his cards on the table, his head bowing low as he spoke, "We were recently evicted from our apartment! I will pay rent and do anything I need to so long as we can stay here so please allow us to stay!"

Chuckling softly Miya nodded, "Please, raise your face. As I've said, my husband never turned away those that needed his help and...Perhaps it is those clothes that are making you resemble him so much..." With a soft smile Miya slightly bowed, her kind smile in place as she spoke, "Welcome to our Izumo House."

Minato felt a smile spread across his face from ear to ear, a surprised grin only growing as he found himself under assault by an overjoyed Musubi, the chesty girl grabbing onto him tightly and cheering with happiness. Haihane had wrapped herself around Minato's other arm, resting her head on his shoulder with a pleased smirk and a light blush as the peaks of Akitsu's cheeks turned up just the slightest bit.

They could talk business later...for right now, this was rather entertaining.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	4. Settling Inn

Hello one and all, how are you this fine day? Me, I've been doing really well and now that I'm done with my weekend events a whole day early I decided to go and post this as a super special awesome friendship bonus chapter! To all of those who understand that joke congrats, you earned an e-cookie. Anyway, a big thank you to all of the reviews I've been getting, especially the comments comparing me to other well known and talented fiction writers. It really does mean a lot to me and lets me know that I'm doing something right here. That doesn't mean I'm not done improving, I've still got a long way to go to really get good at this stuff, but it really helped get my spirits up. Well enough of my blabber, you came here to read right? Well please settle down and get ready to read an extra special chapter of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 4: Settling Inn  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is where Minato-sama lived before Izumo Inn?" Akitsu asked with a calm gaze, her sleepy eyes carefully scanning the interior of the small apartment.

"Yeah," Minato said with a soft chuckle, his hands laying down the last strip of tape on the box before him, "it wasn't much but it was home enough for a ronin like me."

"What is it that the Miya-sama would say?" Akitsu thought for a moment, her head tilting to the side as she contemplated her next words carefully, "Ah yes, 'unacceptable Sahashi-san'."

The accuracy of Akitsu's impression sent a shiver down his spine, horrible memories of metal and pain flashing into his mind as he carefully started upon another box with his belongings, "Yes...well, Musubi-san, Haihane-san are you almost done?"

Haihane grunted as she brought over a small stack of boxes, her bandaged hands easily balancing the heavy packages with ease, "Yeah...bedroom's finished."

Musubi smiled as she lifted up roughly three times the amount as Haihane, furniture and other commodities easily being hoisted by her incredible strength, "Musubi has everything else Minato-sama!"

"Great," Minato said, slightly dumbfounded by Musubi's strength but long ago he learned to ignore it in favor of keeping his sanity, "Now all we need is some way to get all of this to Izumo Inn. I don't have enough money for a moving truck and I don't know anyone who owns a car..."

"Oh, oh! Musubi knows Minato-sama!" Musubi shouted out with glee and excitement, her hand up in the air while she hopped in place, her breasts bouncing more than a few times much to Minato's secret enjoyment.

"Okay Musubi what's your idea?" Minato asked, his curiosity getting the better of him the moment his mouth opened.

Musubi said nothing but instead started to work in silence, her movements quick and deliberate as she began to stack everything upon itself with agility and skill. Before long everything that had been packed by the three Sekirei and one human were piled in the center of the room, a massive blanket lying beneath the entire structure. With wide eyes Haihane and Minato watched as Musubi proceeded to tuck everything into a simple satchel, the blanket becoming a carrying sack which she then hoisted onto her shoulders without a problem in the world, "Musubi will carry it!"

Akitsu was the first to speak surprisingly enough, her eyes looking over the bundle with both eyebrows raised, "As Haihane-san would say...damn."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a short conversation with the landlord, something that ended with Minato receiving a full refund on his initial deposit surprisingly enough, the four began their walk back to Izumo Inn, Musubi carrying every worldly possession of Minato's on her back while Akitsu and Haihane greedily took an arm of his each. Given how deeply Musubi was frowning and the force her fist was clenching onto the bundle it was easy to see that she was beginning to regret her choice of tasks in the moving department.

However she had no choice but to sit back and watch as Minato was gently tugged between Haihane and Akitsu, his face kept in a constant flush as each girl attempted to perpetually bury his arm into the soft cushions of their chest. Granted Akitsu was far more gifted than Haihane in that area but that didn't stop the bandaged reaper from trying, the thin wrappings that covered her body doing nothing to separate the heat of her flesh from Minato as she pulled him tight, "Hey Minato, I ever tell you that you've got great tone for a skinny guy?"

"Y-You don't say," Minato said with a nervous chuckle, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his head as he did his best to avoid touching Haihane's clawed fingers with any part of his anatomy, "Th-Thank you Haihane-san."

Haihane smirked, her one visible eye sparking with mischief as she spoke, "If you want I can give you some pointers...we could give each other a real good workout 'Ashikabi-sama'."

Before he could respond Akitsu had pulled him over to her side, his arm being unabashedly buried in her own mountainous cleavage despite the fact she was wearing a completely covering kimono, "Minato-sama, I have a request if I may be so bold."

"S-Sure, what is it Akitsu-san?" Minato asked, his tongue nearly tied as he felt Akitsu's warmth surround his limb.

"I would like to visit a Love Hotel with my Ashikabi-sama so we may consummate our bonding in full Minato-sama," Akitsu said with a bluntness that threw everyone for a loop, even Haihane had raised an eyebrow at the comment.

"What does consummate mean?" Musubi questioned, her innocent and naive nature blinding her to the intent of Akitsu's words.

"As Haihane-san would say, 'I want to bang Minato stupid'." Akitsu said without the slightest bit of pause or hesitation, the fact that her impression of Haihane was spot on far less surprising than the content of her words.

At this Haihane's jaw dropped open, her arm pulling Minato back as she quietly growled, "I think that pleasure goes to me first ice tits, he's my real Ashikabi not yours."

Akitsu pulled Minato back, her expression unfazed at Haihane's menacing glare, "I only wish to prove my love for my Ashikabi through intense carnal intercourse."

Suddenly Musubi popped up behind the trio, one arm holding tight to the bundle on her back as the other wrapped around Minato's shoulder, her one arm pulling him back and pressing her massive breasts into his back without shame, "Musubi loves Minato-sama too! Musubi should get to bang Minato-sama too!"

"You stay out of this mega boobs," Haihane growled, pulling on Minato's arm, "and I get to make Minato's eyes cross first, got it?"

As the three continued to argue none of them had noticed that Minato had long ago passed out, his nose leaking a torrent of blood the moment Akitsu had clarified her intent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day before had been rather normal for her. Wake up with a massive hang over, nurse it with a few sips from her favorite bottle, get dressed in her lavish luxury apartment, head out to see what there was to see before planning to go to a bar and drink them out of house and home. Her plans were very simple, her life very formulaic and safe...and oh so utterly boring.

Taking a short glance towards the towering building in the distance she remembered why it was so boring...rather a life of boredom than a broken heart.

With a sigh she returned to strutting down the walk with everything she had, her barely there dress leaving nothing to the imagination as man and women alike gawked at her amazing figure. An hourglass of the finest hand couldn't compare itself to her shape, bountiful bust and slim waist perched atop the flaring curve of her hips. A dream made flesh with flowing black hair, narrow cat like eyes, and a permanent smile curved on her painted lips.

Yet, there was something different about today...something that she couldn't quite place as she woke from her alcohol haze. Lying beside her was her common bottle, the massive porcelain vase empty of its contents as it law askew on the blankets beside her. For some reason that didn't matter to her, neither did making her bed or cleaning up anything from her previous evenings drunken stumbling. There was something in her heart that seemed to sing as she took a shower, hot water cascading down her form, cleansing her body and soul as she soaked beneath the steaming rain...what was it?

Even as she dried herself off she found herself more excitable than usual, her body's sensitivity ratcheted up as every nerve on her skin seemed to activate, seemed to crave something warm and soft. It was almost too much as she slipped on her purple silk dress, the feeling of such fine material sliding along her skin sending shivers along her spine and a happy purr to rise in her throat. What was this? What had happened?

She tried to shake it off as she left her apartment, her high heeled shoes clicking along the hard tile of the hallway as she left the building. A simple wink here, a bawdy smile there, every man within her gaze fell beneath her feet. Yet, nothing seemed to phase this ache in her chest, the heat rising up and consuming her as she walked. For a moment she turned left down a busy sidewalk and continued her pace but the warmth seemed to wane, the fire of her soul extinguishing itself the more she strolled down the way. Before long she swiftly turned around, confusion in her mind as she continued to walk, approaching that mysterious heat that seemed to build and build with every step...it was going to be quite an interesting day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She could feel him out there, no matter how hard she chose to ignore it she felt it. That ever present pull at her chest, that rising fever starting from her heart and filling her entire body...she hated it.

Waking up this morning had been pure torture, her heart refusing to cease its infernal thumping, her body refusing to cool despite the icy shower she graced herself with. Even her breakfast suffered from the horrible curse of the feeling, her queasy stomach and nervous body rebelling against the food and making it neigh impossible to swallow. Here she was starving because of him...that thrice damned Ashikabi.

That vile and despicable cretin, that horrible and disgusting monkey that dared to think he had any power over her. Damned be the Ashikabi's and their flawed, weak bodies, he was only a hindrance who wanted to violate her senseless. Her teeth grit against one another as her fists gathered together the material of her coat, the black fabric floating in the breeze as her pristine white skirt fluttered about her hips revealing pure sterling panties. The body of a goddess outlined by the sun would meet the eyes of any that looked up towards the midday sky, generous breasts perched high on her chest and held back by pure white diamonds, the material straining to hold back her smooth orbs. Rich sun stroked golden hair rose with each gust of wind, intense sapphire eyes staring out into the city below with unkempt hate.

Lifting one hand a single thumb went to her lips, the edge of a knife like canine biting into the soft flesh with a hiss. She would kill him...it was her only choice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A twisted giggle filled the darkness of the room, bespectacled eyes staring at the pale glow of a dozen computer monitors the only light in the shaded room. Every second a burst of information flooded the screen, a bright gleam of importance flashing for the briefest second before being drowned by the latest knowledge to cross her eyes. She could remember it all. She could see it all. And all she wanted to look at was him.

Slender fingers gently touched the screen on which his image lay, the innocent and goofy smile causing her heart to trill with its intense rhythm. A slow blaze of heat began to build the longer she looked at him, those kind eyes, that messy dark hair, that slight bulge pressing through his jeans, it all made her mouth water. She began to wonder how it was that every time she had seen him he had seemed cooler before, more masculine...she would love to experiment with him some time. As swift as lightening her fingers danced across a keyboard, lines upon line of text filling the screen before she stopped, every bit of information on her collection of computers coming to a halt and becoming devoted to him. To his presence, his person, his face.

She needed to know him, inside and out. It was not longer a question.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She had been so cold...so lonely...she was tired of this...she wanted to go home even if it was the laboratory again.

The thought made her curl further into herself, tears pricking at the edges of her eyes as she though of it. The needles, the cold eyes, the environment without a single piece of green outside of a vial. She wanted the sun, she wanted the fresh air, she wanted the grass between her toes and the wind in her hair. She wanted to see the world with wide eyes and hope in her heart...

Her body started to shiver as she remembered the mean onii-san that had come for her, the mean onee-san cutting Takami-nee with her sharp stick. He leaned in and his lips came closer, his voice flat and without meaning as he said something about not letting another get away. She remembered the red all over the yellow flowers, Takami-nee reaching for her, begging her to run...to save herself.

She remembered as she began to cry and the world erupted in a flash of green, plant life sprouting from every inch of ground below her feet. She remembered how the mean onii-san had jumped back and the onee-san with the sharp stick grabbed hold of him before running away, promising to find her again. She remembered looking at Takami-nee, her one eye closed with blood as she reached out...trying to pull her back...then all she remembered was dark.

It was cold here...but it had been getting warmer. It wasn't much but it was heat...something building up inside of her as she lay curled up deep within the cocoon of her making. Onii-chan was out there...he was somewhere to care for her...he would make her warm, he would keep her safe...she wanted her onii-chan.

Surprise gripped her as she felt him, his warmth, his love; she found her onii-chan. With one hand she reached out and cried, "Onii-chan!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

After having recovered from Akitsu's impromptu attack on his modesty Minato had been able to calm the brewing storm between the three girls. However, that did nothing to stop Haihane and Akitsu from tugging on his arms, Musubi now joining in as she draped one arm around his shoulders to hold him close. Overall it was quite the awkward walk back to Izumo Inn, many jealous and irritated glares sent his way from the attention he was being given by the three beauties. Yet, as all things must come to an end when they arrived at Izumo Inn all three girls released their hold on him, memories of metal ladle's and furious hannya enough to scare even Haihane into complacency with the rules.

"Ah Sahashi-san," Miya said with a soft smile, broom in hand as she stopped sweeping the porch, "I see that you gathered your belongings...and placed them on the back of a girl."

Minato sweat a little bit at the implied annoyance, an apologetic smile on his face as he scratched the back of his head, "Landlady-sama, Musubi actually volunteered to carry it all..."

"Musubi did Landlady-sama! Musubi would do anything for her Ashi-" was about all she could get out before Minato had to put a hand over her lips to cease her from spilling their secret again.

"Hm...Very well," Miya said with a noncommittal shrug, her smile filled with her normal refined hospitality, "You each remember where your rooms are, correct?"

Minato nodded before bowing deeply, "Yes, thank you once again Landlady-sama." Haihane, Musubi, and Akitsu followed suit, a tint of regret in their tone that went totally ignored by the purple haired woman.

Miya giggled slightly, "Oh it is no problem. Now I must tell you, you were quite lucky to escape this morning before breakfast but my other borders have fully awoken and I expect you to be courteous and give your introductions. That goes for the three of you as well."

Minato nodded, "Of course Landlady-sama."

Musubi smiled brightly, "Musubi will be more than happy to!"

Haihane shrugged and scratched the top of her head, forgetting she was wearing her claws and thus sending a thin rivet of blood down the side of her face before removing her hand with a jerk, "Ow, ow, ow...yeah, I'll say hello."

Akitsu bowed low to Miya, the angle of her body matching Minato's previous one perfectly before she spoke, "I will happily accompany Minato-sama in greeting your other guests."

"Wonderful," Miya said before returning to her sweeping, the four new borders carefully entering their new home with Musubi and the massive bag of items bringing up the end.

After a great deal of maneuvering and rearranging the three succeeded in entering Minato's room, the sparsely furnished area quickly being filled with whatever Minato had with him at his old apartment. Having the three in the room definitely helped expedite the process, all four of them working together and getting Minato's room into order...at least somewhat.

"'Huh," Haihane muttered as she held up a pair of Minato's underwear, the material stretched between her fingers as she smirked, "Well we finally know if it's boxers of briefs for Minato...not that I wouldn't have found out sooner or later."

Minato had the decency to blush, something that Haihane lacked, at the grey girl's sudden exposure of his under garments, "H-Haihane san...please put those back."

"Aw," Haihane pseudo-pouted, her eye sparking with amusement at Minato's discomfort, "what's the matter 'Ashikabi-sama'? Afraid that I'm gonna steal them and sniff them in the middle of the night?"

Before Minato could answer Haihane found her right hand frozen, a solid chunk of ice encasing her limb as well as the underwear in her grip. Gritting her teeth together to stop the chattering before it could begin Haihane turned to Akitsu who had casually returned to folding Minato's clothes and putting them into a small pile by her side, "Miya-sama said to refrain from anything obscene whilst inside of this Inn."

"So says the one who proposed to go to a Love Hotel in the middle of the street," Haihane grumbled, a strong clench of her hand shattering the ice around it.

"So?" Akitsu asked with a face of slate, "That was well outside of the walls of the Inn and I was within my right to request my Ashikabi satisfy the yearning between my legs."

Haihane's eyebrow twitched and her bandaged fingers itched for the claws she left in the corner of the room, "And last night? You were asleep with Minato without clothing ice tits."

For a moment Akitsu stopped, a slightly confused look on her face before she spoke, "without clothes?"

"Yes. You know, naked?" Haihane said, folding the chilly pair of Minato's underwear and beginning on the next.

"I was not aware I was nude, I must have forgotten my clothing," Akitsu said with her natural bored tone, her hands returning to folding the clothes as Haihane stopped.

"Doubtful," Haihane challenged with crossed arms, "How can anyone forget something like that?"

"Shall I remind you of your claws the next time you try to scratch your head?" Akitsu returned without missing a beat, her concentration still fully turned upon the pile of shirts and pants before her.

Haihane's hands tightened into loose fists but released as she went back to folding clothes herself, "Say what you want ice tits, Minato knows I did it on purpose right Minato?"

Silence was her response as no sound rose from Minato, be it a slow agreement or a nervous change of subjects. Confused at their Ashikabi's sudden absence they turned to find Minato had gone and with him was Musubi, the heavy chested Miko having dragged Minato off at the beginning of their argument to meet their neighbors without the bickering duo to bother them.

"Oh damn it," Haihane muttered with agitation as she stood up, exiting the room with Akitsu following close, her tired eyes slightly narrowed in annoyance at being left behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So this is it, "Minato asked, turning a raised eyebrow to the cheerful Musubi, "whoever is in 203 is our neighbor."

Musubi nodded with a joyous smile, "That's correct Minato-sama!"

With a sigh Minato turned to the door, his hand raising up and giving his knuckles a light rap against the wooden portion of the otherwise paper door, "Hello? Is anyone in?"

"Just a second!" a voice responded from inside, a feminine call reaching out and slipping into Minato's ear with a melodious sound. With a new interest and curiosity in his new neighbor he waited with Musubi as footsteps approached the door, a hand easily pulling it open and revealing the women inside. She was very beautiful if nothing else, her enchanting smile and unique hair style giving her a charm all her own. Her shape was generously curved and topped by a bountiful bust line, her size nearing but not quite overtaking Musubi with their mass. However there was something that was absolutely stunning about her, something that Minato couldn't ignore...it was the fact that she came to the door dressed only in a pair of panties and nothing else that left his jaw to drop and his eyes to bulge, "Hey there, what can I do for yah?"

Minato was just barely able to staunch the flow of blood from his nose, his blushing face turning away from the nearly nude girl with an uncomfortable choking noise, "Uh, y-your clothes?"

Glancing down the girl seemed to finally register she was nearly naked, a coy smirk on her lips as she struck a pseudo-pose, "What? Can't stand my womanly charms?"

A slight drip of blood leaked down Minato's nose despite his death grip pinch, his eyes going wide at the woman's provocative pose, "Uh..."

Thankfully, before any more awkward comments could take place Musubi suddenly jumped in to the front of attention, her smile just a bit too cheery and her voice a might too peppy as she spoke to the skin bearing woman, "Hello! I am Musubi and this is Minato-sama, we will be living next door to you and the other people in Izumo house!"

The girl blinked a bit before chuckling, "You don't say? I heard there were going to be new borders today but I didn't expect them to be quite as interesting. Well nice to meet you Musubi-chan, Minato-kun."

Minato nodded, his eyes closed as he tried his very best not to stare at the breasts presented before him, "V-Very nice to meet you...um...what's our name?"

The girl smirked, a knowing gleam in her eye as she crossed her arms beneath her chest, emphasizing her naked globes and making a wave of lightheadedness cross Minato, "I'm Uzume, good to have you as part of the family. Though...I heard there were four of you, where are the other two?"

As if she had spoken the name of the devil a thunderous racket clambered down the hall, all eyes turning to see Haihane and Akitsu running at a full sprint and directly for Minato. Without even stopping Haihane grabbed hold of Minato, her body spinning around his and coming to a stop with her head on his shoulder, modest but beautiful bound breasts pressed against his arm as her own limbs wrapped around him, "Minato, what was the big idea leaving me back there? You take big boobs and leave me with ice tits? That hurts Minato."

Stopping on a dime Akitsu stood beside Minato, her borrowed kimono barely wrinkled as she took one of Minato's arms and pressed it between her breasts, "Minato-sama, please do not leave like that again. You worried me greatly. You also left me with, what was it that Miya-sama said? Oh yes, 'the metal pussy cat'."

The resemblance to Miya's voice gained another round of shivers from all of those present, her accuracy in imitating the prim and proper landlady down right horrifying. However Haihane recovered quickly enough to send the ice girl a withering glare, something that didn't even seem to register with Akitsu's perpetually sleepy features, "I'm better company than you chill chest...heh...heh heh heh ha ha ha!"

Soon enough Haihane was laughing up a storm, her own pun sending her into a fit of laughter so hard that she buckled over into herself with her hands pressed against her taught stomach, "Ow ha ha ha hurts but ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Chill Chest!"

In the midst of Haihane's laughter, Akitsu's raised eyebrow, Musubi's confused look, and Minato's blushing face Uzume could only say one thing, "Finally! Things will start to get interesting around here!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~

"Nothing like before okay," Minato muttered in aggravation, his fingers rubbing at his aching temples as he spoke, "Please, just try to behave?"

Akitsu quickly bowed, "As you wish Minato-sama."

Musubi grinned brightly and nodded, "Musubi will do her best Minato-sama."

Haihane on the other hand only smirked, a playful glint in her exposed eye as she spoke, "No promises Minato."

Shaking his head Minato raised a hand, knuckles rapping along the small wooden section of the door before him as he called out, "Hello? My friends and I are new tenants and we wanted to introduce ourselves to the current borders here!"

"Just a second..." The voice was deep and masculine, a low baritone answering his call and bringing to mind the image of a mature and sophisticated man. Sure enough the moment the door was open there was a man standing before him, light silver hair gleaming as calm eyes regarded him with a curious look. The man was dressed head to toe in a black outfit, a long sleeved shirt with dark slacks maintaining an image of dignity and above all, immaculate social grace, "Hello, my name is Kagari. Nice to meet you."

Minato offered the gentleman a polite smile, his head bowing as he spoke, "Ah, pleasure to meet you Kagari-san, my name is Sahashi Minato and these are my friends..."

Haihane glanced at Kagari before closing her eyes and laying her head on Minato's shoulder, "Haihane."

Akitsu's face was unmoved as she looked at the charming man before her, a polite bow executed before she spoke, "Akitsu, servant of Minato-sama. Pleasure to meet you."

Musubi was by far the friendliest, her effervescent personality springing forth like a fountain as she bowed, "I am Musubi, good to meet you Kagari-san!"

Kagari's eyebrow quickly quirked at the introduction, a quick jolt of curiosity ringing in his mind as he looked at Minato directly, "Hm...Quite the first impression Sahashi-san. I suppose you live upstairs next to Uzume?" Minato's face flushed a deep red to which Kagari simply chuckled, "I see you've already met her too. Don't worry too much; she won't be naked at breakfast Miya would kill her if she was."

That comment sent Minato into a soft laughter, his embarrassment flowing away from the innocent joke. Seeing Minato laugh made something inside of Kagari start, some sort of pull grabbing at his chest as if there were a string tied to it. Shaking off the feeling he shrugged, curiosity getting the better of him as he spoke, "So Sahashi-san tell me about yourself."

Minato gave Kagari a kind smile, his hand scratching the back of his head slightly as he spoke, "Well not much of a story to tell really. I'm a third year ronin trying to get into Tokyo University, I work some part time jobs, and...I've got some pretty incredible friends with me."

All at once all three of the girls blushed, all of them with an equal tint to their cheeks and nearly the same expression of surprise and happiness. Even Kagari found himself with a slight grin working its way across his lips before he quickly crushed it, a casual look clouding his features with none the wiser to his half second reaction, "Hn, alright then. Well if you don't mind I have some business to take care of, a few phone calls to make. You understand right?"

Minato nodded, his bow polite and proper as he spoke, "Of course, of course, have a nice day Kagari-san."

A few more pleasantries and the new tenants were off, their squabbles and voices carrying them down the hall until they were out of sight, "Takami needs to hear about this one."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Homura, been a while," a groggy feminine voice spoke into his head, the small phone in his hand cradled gently against his ear, "how are you Mr. Defender?"

Homura chuckled a bit, one hand combing through the mass of silver hair on his head, "I've been better Takami. How about yourself? I heard you were attacked by a winged one."

Takami grumbled before she spoke, "I'm lucky the bitch missed my eye but no rest for the wicked, god damn Minaka has me right back to overseeing this insane game of his. He's not even going to go after the fucker Ashikabi that ordered her to do it. He says that it makes he makes the game more 'interesting'."

"And number 108?" Homura asked with a dark tone to his voice, a deep set frown filled with disgust slicing its way across his face.

"He's going to wait and let more Sekirei get winged before he makes an announcement," Takami growled, her tone sounding dark and vicious with every word, "fucker is gonna make it a god damn contest to wing a fucking child."

Homura's hand tightened around the phone as he thought of it, Minaka playing with the fates of living beings like they were his own personal action figures. It made him absolutely sick, "God damn him."

Takami sighed and a distinct scratching sound came from her end of the line, the echo of a sparking lighter indicating her next cigarette was clenched between tense teeth, "I know, I know...fuck, let's move onto other news. This is leaving a bad taste in my mouth."

"Agreed," Homura muttered, his fingers relaxing from their death grip on the phone as he took a deep breath to calm his emotions.

"So what'd you call for anyway? You usually don't call unless you've got something interesting to tell me," Takami asked as the rhythmic clicking of her lighter continued in the background.

"I have something you might like to hear," Homura's tone was all buisness, a deep and formal tone speaking to the severity of his call, "do you have a son named Sahashi Minato?"

The line was dead silent for a moment, the sparking of the lighter halting before Takami slowly spoke, "Yes I do...why?"

"He just moved in," Homura said, his frown deepening before he said his next words, "along with his three Sekirei."

The clattering of metal on tile resonated over the phone, Takami's lighter falling to the ground in shock, "OH FUCK ME!"

"It gets worse," Homura's hand slid into his pocket, fingers brushing against the small square pack inside, "One of them is a broken number."

"A broken number? ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?" Takami's voice screamed through the small speaker, a shrill and rough sound reaching his ears and sending his face into a painful wince.

"Yes, she has a mark on her forehead just like the first wing," Homura said with a sigh, his hands fumbling with the small carton as he mummbled, "Hell, I think she might even be the original."

"The original? Do you have any proof?" Takami questioned, a serious demeanor replacing the screaming irritation from just seconds before.

"Judging by the fact that one of his other Sekirei kept calling her ice tits and chill chest I think she has ice based powers just like the first broken number. She also has the same hair, eyes, and pretty much everything else from the original too," Homura finally pulled his hand from his pocket, a thin white cigarette clenched between his fingers as he spoke, "your son has the first disused number along with two other Sekirei on his side at the moment...and I think he might be getting more soon."

"God damn Minaka and his fucking games! I'm going to wring his...wait, what do you mean more?" Takami questioned, her righteous fury calming into an uncharacteristic worry as Homura brought the nicotine treat to his waiting lips.

"I mean he is already starting to pull in more Sekirei," Homura muttered, his face flushing slightly at the memory of meeting Minato. With practiced skill he raised a single finger to the opposite end of the cigarette, a small burst of flame erupting from nothing and silently lighting it, "his pull as an Ashikabi is growing incredibly quickly and frankly, I don't know where it will stop at this point."

The line stayed dead for a few seconds, silence hanging over the connection before one word rang loud and true, "Fuck."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minato barely had enough time to think before he had broken away from the group. Musubi, Haihane, and Akitsu had broken into another argument over who would spend the most time with Minato, who would wash his back, who would be there to keep him warm on cold nights...it was almost a relief when Miya walked in and smashed all of them over the head with a wooden spoon followed by a hannya accompanied demand that the argument be stopped. Granted he had been hit too but it was a small sacrifice to get some sort of peace out of them. He chuckled a bit as he wondered how many people would kill to be in his situation, three beautiful women with incredible other worldly powers fighting tooth and nail for his attention. The otaku population of Japan would probably come after him with a vengeance if they knew...

Sighing slightly he slipped his hands into his pockets, his head leaning back and looking up into the bright blue of the midday sky. It really was a magnificent day, bright and cloudless with a light breeze to it. It might have been a touch chilly but that was fine, his skin bristled and he felt just a little more alive in the brisk air. Shaking that off he stepped onto the grass of the lawn, the warm earth beneath his feet seeming to radiate a peaceful sensation throughout his entire body. For some reason he just felt compelled to walk further into the back yard, the spacious area welcoming him as an honored and valued guest. Following his feet he continued to walk, his path taking him to a rather large tree settled on the premises. The tree seemed to be quite old but also very alive, bright green leaves hanging lazily from thick and sturdy branches. He remembered seeing so many of these trees in his childhood...he wondered how everyone in the old town was doing.

"Minato?" A voice called his name, his body jumping slightly from the surprise but easily turning around to face the new guest to his wandering, Haihane. She stood in the doorway for a moment before stepping out onto the grass, "There you are."

"Haihane-san," Minato greeted, a small smile on his lips as he spoke. She might have looked scary to most but at the moment, with the wind caressing her full form, she looked beautiful. The slight breeze had gathered the tattered ends of her thin kimono, the black material floating up with the wind and revealing the trim and athletic body beneath. Her chest wasn't nearly as large as Akitsu let alone Musubi but it was her shape, the gentle curves of her body that left him breathless and craving more. The messy silver tresses of her hair floated on every gust giving the wild reaper an ethereal look, the frayed feral locks tamed on the gentle comb of the wind. Her face held a surprising softness to it, her small smiles accentuating her kinder side, the gentle air that she could so easily exude without and ounce of effort. Her eyes were somewhat scary but very expressive for their narrow appearance; the one visible orb easily ranging through hundreds of emotions if one knew where to look. Her pale lips were as soft as the most fragile feather, something he remembered from when she had kissed him, and to be honest with himself he wouldn't mind do it again some time soon...

"Miya wants everyone to start helping out with chores if they've got nothing else to do," Haihane said with a small smile, her heart beat picking up pace the closer she drew to Minato, to her beloved Ashikabi. Only he could do this to her, only he could send her emotions into a flutter simply by being there…there was no wondering, no guessing, just knowing this heat inside. At times being a Sekirei was very, very convenient.

"Paying for rent isn't enough?" Minato chuckled, this was Haihane. The killer from before wasn't the same silver haired woman, she couldn't be. Haihane was kind despite her looks, she was fun, and she made his heart race just a bit faster the closer she was.

"Apparently since we're 'family' we have to keep this place as neat as 'kaa-san' wants it," a soft chuckle drifted away with the breeze as Haihane stopped just a short distance from Minato, "So what are you doing out here anyway?"

Glancing behind his back he stared at the tree, his body still being pulled towards the age old plant for some unknown reason, "I don't know...I just wanted to come out here and look at this tree." Shrugging slightly he leaned back, his body hitting the solid trunk of the tree without a sound.

"Onii-chan!"

A young child's voice echoed throughout his body, the terrified scream tearing at his heart like a thousand rusty blades. Out of nowhere he felt a hand on his shoulder, a small grasping palm grabbing onto him and pulling roughly, turning him around to face what appeared to be a young girl hovering in mid-air. The girl was undoubtedly a child, her tiny body and innocent features giving more than enough proof to the point. However it was her eyes, those brilliant green orbs that broke his heart to pieces. They were frozen in fear, tears leaking from them and her mouth turned down into a sobbing frown, "Onii-chan!"

Without even thinking about it he raised his arms out to the crying girl, her body floating into them as he wrapped her in a gentle embrace, "Shh...it'll be alright."

The girl grabbed hold of him tightly, tiny hands fisting in his clothing and holding with all of her young strength, "Onii-chan, onii-chan...come save me."

Silently rocking side to side Minato continued to make calming noises, his arms holding the mysterious girl and comforting her on pure instinct, "It's okay, it's okay...Onii-chan will come save you..."

The girls voice began to crack as her sobs returned, fresh tears spilling from the edges of her eyes in terror, "Save Kusano onii-chan, it's so cold..."

Minato hushed her by running a gentle hand through Kusano's long spun straw hair, her sobs ebbing way into a series of quiet sniffles, "Where are you Kusano?"

Kusano whimpered a bit, her arms squeezing Minato tightly as she spoke, "It...it's a place with lots of plants onii-chan...please save Ku onii-chan...please save me."

**_SLAP_**

Minato awoke with a jolt and a powerful slap, his face aching with a burning sting as Haihane clutched the collar of his shirt and yelled only inches away from his face, "Minato! You alive in there? Answer me!

"Huh? Haihane-san?" Minato groggily muttered, his arms gently pushing Haihane away as he placed his head in his palm, "What happened?"

"I don't know," Haihane said with obvious worry in her tone, her one visible eye holding concern as she spoke, "You touched the tree and just collapsed. You were out for about a minute before you woke up."

In a flash it all came back, his eyes widening as realization hit him like a two ton truck, "Haihane-san, get your claws. There's someone we need to save."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. The Crimson Forest

What's up one and all? How are you doing on this fine and funky fresh day? Me, I've been doing alright. A little bit of turmoil on the ranch but nothing I can't handle at the moment. This chapter right here is something that took me a while to cook up because I wasn't sure how I wanted to end it. I think that you will either be very surprised or hate my guts to the end of the earth. No matter what you think I still hope you enjoy this next chapter of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 5: The Crimson Forest  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Minato maybe you should lay down," Haihane said with quiet concern as she knelt before his seated form, bandaged fingers gently brushing through Minato's dark hair and searching for any open wound, "you probably hit your head when you passed out."

Minato was quick to shake his head, hands gently brushing away Haihane's probing fingers as he spoke, "No, I didn't Haihane-san. I know what I saw, Kusano needs my help."

"Minato, do you even know a Kusano?" Haihane questioned, her eyebrow raised as Minato slightly shook his head, "then how do you know that this Kusano you saw in your dream is real?"

"I..."Minato started but his voice suddenly choked, his mind spinning as he tried to rationalize it all. He had seen her, felt her, heard the terror in her voice...Kusano had to be real.

"Minato-sama? Haihane-san?" a sudden voice spoke from the door of the Inn, two sets of eyes turning from one another and looking to find Akitsu and Musubi entering the yard.

"Minato-sama!" Musubi cheered as she hopped onto the lawn, her footsteps quick as she headed for the two, "Akitsu-san and I were looking for you everywhere. Landlady-sama wants us to start cleaning the bath and prepare it for the next month as soon as possible!"

"Minato-sama," Akitsu bowed, her body rising quickly and revealing a slightly quirked eyebrow, "What are you doing outside with the metal pussy cat?"

Haihane bristled but Minato was quick to speak, his voice cutting off Haihane's sharp rebuttal, "I just wanted to take a walk and...something weird happened when I touched that tree..."

"What happened Minato-sama?" Musubi questioned curiosity and confusion in her voice as she spoke. With that Minato launched into his odd encounter with the girl that called herself Kusano, Haihane listening silently while gently holding his arm to her bandaged chest. As his tale came to an end Akitsu's eyebrow was slightly raised, Musubi staring at Minato with stars in her eyes a giddy expression on her face.

"It is possible," Akitsu suddenly spoke with her normal and impassive face, "Sekirei and Ashikabi destined for one another do share a deep psychic connection so this one could have connected to Minato-sama using the tree as the medium."

Musubi nodded, the light in her eyes growing with excitement as she spoke, "Akitsu-san is right Minato-sama! Musubi's adjuster told Musubi that sometimes Ashikabi-sama and Sekirei could see each other in their dreams so this Sekirei might be calling out to Minato-sama with all of her love!"

Minato turned slightly to look at Haihane with a raised eyebrow, the grey girl having the decency to blush ever so slightly over her lack of knowledge. Noticing the sheepish features on Haihane's face Akitsu was quick to hop on it like a cat to a wounded mouse, "Did you not know that metal pussy cat? It is common knowledge to Musubi and myself so I was certain you would know."

Clenching her teeth Haihane glared at Akitsu, "I wasn't adjusted to be the same as a normal Sekirei so I was never told about that kind of stuff chill chest."

Noticing a brewing fight Minato stepped in, a slight cough bringing all attention to him as he asked, "Shouldn't we focus on rescuing Kusano?"

"Indeed, my apologies Minato-sama," Akitsu said with a bow, "You said that this 'Kusano' claimed she was in a place with an abundance of vegetation?"

Minato nodded, his body rising up into a standing position as Haihane did the same, "Yeah, she also kept saying how cold she was so I'm thinking she had to be outside somewhere."

"Sahashi-san," a new voice spoke up, all four of the borders turning to find a broom wielding Miya had found them. The closer Miya approached the group the more they felt the demonic pressure of her materialized mask grow, birds in nearby trees scattering as insects skittered away from the herald of doom, "when will you be able to work? The Inn is rather filthy and I expect all of my borders to participate in their share of the cleaning."

Unlike the insects and the birds the group of four didn't have the luxury of running, their bodies frozen as if they had just jumped into a bath of ice water. Yet, despite the fear Minato broke it slightly, his throat clearing itself as he nervously spoke, "I...I just got a call from a...younger cousin. S-She is lost somewhere in the city…"

Miya's mood was quick to change, her horrifying intimidation forgotten and concern quickly taking its place, "Oh dear, that isn't good. You should go find her before anything happens to her Sahashi-san."

"Th-that is what we were discussing landlady-sama," Minato stuttered, his relief at being believed obvious in his tone, "My cousin Kusano is unfamiliar with the city and she is lost somewhere outside and with many plants around."

"Oh?" Miya asked with a curious tilt to her head, an innocent smile on her lips as she spoke, "That sounds like the botanical gardens in the center of the city, I would be willing to bet that your cousin is there right now."

Realization flooded Minato's eyes as he nodded, a smile crossing his lips as he spoke, "Ah! You're right! The gardens have a lot of plants around and at this time of year it should be really cold!"

"That sounds very possible," Akitsu mentioned as she turned toward Miya, her body bending in a deep bow of respect, "Thank you Miya-sama for your help."

Miya smiled and nodded, "Of course, it is no problem at all." Despite her friendly and genteel voice the air behind her shimmered with the hazy image of her dreadful mask, wisps of murderous evil gathering as she spoke her next words with a hollow and lifeless tone, "However, I still expect the three of you to fulfill your obligations the moment you return. Do you understand?"

All four of them were quick to nod in agreement, their minds coming to the same realization with a surprising amount of synchronization. This woman was absolutely terrifying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She could feel him...he was moving. That damned Ashikabi was moving again and this time he was coming closer. The fire in her stomach built up bit by bit as time passed on, her heart pounding erratically at the mere thought of him. His vile lips pressing against her own, his rough hands sliding over her soft skin, his toned body pressing against hers as she succumb to his embrace of ecstasy...

She violently shook her head to banish her thoughts, sharp canines clenching even harder on the thumb between them. He was coming for her, coming to violate her body with his piggish filth. She couldn't stand for it, she wouldn't. The sensations and consequences be damned, if she ever wanted to live in peace and continue her life long ambition she knew she needed to stop this weakness at the source. With a swift jump she rose into the crystal clear sky, her mission to kill her Ashikabi in full effect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every step brought a new shiver of thrill through her, the heat growing with leaps and bounds as she walked. The silk of her dress felt like sandpaper as every movement drew it across her skin, she longed for a softer touch, a warmer one. She could tell there was a deep blush on her face, a crimson flush of arousal crossing her cheeks and drawing more than a few male eyes her way. The cats calls were unending, the proclamations of love deep, but she felt nothing for them. She only felt that heat, that rising inside of her as she continued to walk...but then it changed.

The heat quickly began to leave, that pull of an invisible string straining even further on her fragile maidens heart. Tensing slightly she gave the world one last coy smile before ducking into a small and almost unnoticeable alley. Bending her knees she looked up into the sky, a quick spring launching her up into the clouds with a hurricane of air at her back, she would find the source of this sensation and nothing would get in her way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her lips pulled up into a little pout, fingers caressing the image of his face as it danced across the screen. He was so far away, leaving her in the empty darkness of her computer screen lit room. If only she could find the right moment, the perfect time to meet him...oh the experiments they would do. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the silver haired girl who held him tightly, her gauntlet covered arm holding him with firm care and pressing every available inch of her bandage covered flesh against him. How she envied that girl, so freely feeling his body against her own, touching his form, caressing bare skin with nimble fingers, feeling his sweat drenched chest flush against her bare breasts...

A slight drip of drool slid down her lips as she thought about it, a perverted giggle escaping her throat as she saw the group of four approach their destination.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow...that is a lot of green," Minato said with a slightly gaping jaw, his eyes wide open as he looked at the sight before him. The botanical gardens towered above them with trees of gargantuan size, impossibly thick vines wrapping around tree trunks meters in diameter. Brilliantly colored tropical flowers bloomed in excess despite the icy chill held in the afternoon air. Huge man sized bushes dotted the landscape and whatever was not obstructed by the natural emerald walls was covered with a thick mat of dark green grass, wild blades rising from the ground to incredible heights before ending in a spear tip point.

"Miya wasn't kidding when she said this place had plants," Haihane muttered in quiet awe, "it probably has more trees than the rest of Tokyo combined."

"Given that Kusano-san contacted Minato-sama through a tree then it is possible that she has plant based abilities," Akitsu said with her normal neutral tone, a single eyebrow quirked in surprise at the expanse of plant life before her.

"Yeah," Minato muttered, his eyes turning up and looking at the huge ceiling of leaves. It was almost certain that once they entered the area, light would have no chance to reach them in the thick forest.

"M-Minato-sama..." a pitiful cry sounded, Musubi's distressed voice calling out to everyone's attention, "Musubi needs some help." Sure enough Musubi has somehow managed to end up tangled in a variety of vines and barbed plants, her clothing tearing as she valiantly tried to free herself from her self imposed bondage. However the more Musubi struggled the further she fell into entanglement, her clothes gradually shredding as she tried to muscle her way through an escape.

"Hold on Musubi," Minato said with a slight blush on his face, the amount of skin Musubi was showing doing more than its fair share to his tightly controlled libido. Turning to Haihane Minato did his best to force down his blush as he spoke, "Haihane-san, can you please cut her out?"

Haihane nodded before walking over to Musubi, a smirk on her lips as she approached the bound and nearly bare fighting Miko, "How'd you even get stuck there big boobs?"

Musubi pouted as Haihane slashed out with her claws, the gleaming steel making short work of the vines and thorns, "Musubi wanted to open a path for Minato-sama..."

"Sorry big boobs," Haihane grinned, her fingers fanning out and making a show of the razor edged claws, "but I'm the best one for this job."

"As much as I loath to admit it, the metal pussy cat is correct," Akitsu spoke, her tired eyes betraying no emotion, "With her claws she would be the most suited to this sort of extraction mission."

"With Haihane-san we should be able to make it to where Kusano is without a problem," Minato's head tilted up to look at the monolithic trees before him, his mind contemplating about how best to enter the forest without trouble.

"I don't mean to be a downer but how can we be sure Kusano is here?" Haihane questioned, one last stroke of her claws removing the last bit of emerald rope from Musubi's bound body, "it's not like she's going to send up a flare or anything."

"I don't know..." Minato muttered, a hand reaching out and placing a palm on the solid wood of the nearest tree. For a brief moment he felt a pulse, his mind recalling Kusano's voice calling out for her onii-chan, "I just have a feeling she's here."

"That is reason enough for me Minato-sama," Akitsu spoke with a nod.

"Musubi too! Musubi is behind Minato-sama 100%!" Musubi smiled, one hand trying its best to hold back her breasts from furthering the rips and tears around her bust.

Shrugging a bit Haihane smirked, her claws spread out as she approached the thinnest part of the overgrown garden, "Well let's get goi-"

"Well, well, so this is where she's being held," the interruption was quick and loud, a voice carrying across the land bringing all of their actions to a sudden halt, "I guess it was a good idea that we followed you after you left that shabby little Inn."

Spinning on a dime all four of them turned to find none other than Mikogami standing behind them, his body dressed in a finely pressed pristine white suit while he was flanked by three different Sekirei. The first two were easily recognizable, the scythe wielding girl and the whip user a sight they all remembered from their last confrontation with Mikogami. However, the third member was a new addition to Mikogami's side, a girl with an eerily similar look to the whip user. Her bright blond hair was pulled into two side pigtails with a simple yellow and black dress covering to her thighs. However, unlike the whip user it didn't appear as if she had a weapon on her person. Instead the girl simply stood there, a cocky smile on her lips and her hips tilted in a confident fashion.

"Mikogami," Minato muttered, his instincts instantly on the defensive as the younger boy laughed.

"Ah it's a pleasure that you remembered me Sahashi Minato," Mikogami spoke with a smirk, his grin only growing at Minato's surprised face, "didn't expect me to learn your name? Of course I'd want to know about the person who stole my possessions."

"Akitsu-san is not a possession!" Minato barked, his uncharacteristic reaction drawing a surprised jump from the fifteen year old.

"Whatever you say Minato-san," Mikogami waved off Minato's response with a flick of his wrist, "but I still intend to collect my toy and for all the trouble you've caused I think I'll be taking number 108 as well. I was so troubled when I lost her so quickly after I took her from her adjuster."

Minato's hands clenched into fists, his teeth gritting against one another at Mikogami's utter disregard for living beings, "I won't let you take Kusano Mikogami, I'd rather die than let her be winged by an Ashikabi like you."

"My, now that sounds like a very kind offer!" Mikogami smiled brightly as he clapped his hands, "but I think I'll just stick with taking back my toys and going home."

Minato was not one to easily anger; aside from his brief moments of annoyance he had never done a single violent action in his entire life. Thanks to his mother's and sister's violent personalities he learned how to take everything in stride, every strike against him sliding off like fresh water on a well oiled pan. Yet it was this boy, this utterly arrogant and pompous child that drew a rise from his soul, time taught and tested complacency towards aggression sloughing away in the face of his anger. For once instead of shaking from fear in the face of danger he quaked with pure and unbending rage, "Never! Akitsu-san, Musubi-san! Can you hold them off?"

Both of Akitsu's eyebrows rose into her hairline, a blatantly obvious expression of surprise at the forceful question, "Yes Minato-sama, I should be able to stop them easily."

Instead of being startled by Minato's voice Musubi only hunkered down into a fighting position, the busty fighter sharing Minato's heated glare. Mikogami's disregard for the value of love between Ashikabi and Sekirei stoked the flames inside of Musubi, her own ire raising at the callous and careless Ashikabi, "Musubi will stop them with all of her might Minato-sama!"

"Good, I need you two to hold those Sekirei back," Minato's attention snapped to Haihane as he spoke, "Haihane-san, we need to find Kusano now!"

"Y-Yeah," Haihane muttered, her heart flaring at the sudden change in Minato's attitude. She knew that almost everyone had a breaking point, a certain button that if pressed enough would send people and Sekirei alike into a bitter rage. This was Minato's button, this was his bursting point...and it felt so damn good to her. Shaking it off she wrapped an arm around Minato's waist and leapt off into the forest, a clawed hand tearing a hole in the foliage with a single swipe. Like that the pair was gone, the darkness of the massive jungle swallowing them whole.

"Oh that's no fun," Mikogami pouted, his head turning to face the scythe wielding Sekirei, "Yomi, could you go fetch number 108 please?"

Yomi nodded with a blushing smile on her face, "Yes Master, I'll be back in a flash with your new Sekirei."

Suddenly Mikogami's face turned up into a smile, a hollow grin dancing across his lips as he spoke, "Just so you remember Yomi, if you don't come back with her then you might as well not come back at all."

Nervous beads of sweat dotted Yomi's brow at Mikogami's tone, her body bending in a sharp bow as she swallowed the frog in her throat, "Yes master!" Just as Yomi started to head off into the forest she found herself sheathed in ice, a massive wall of frozen water rising from nothing encapsulating her in a dome of neigh impenetrable water crystals.

"For my Ashikabi I will not allow you to go any further," Akitsu spoke her hand held out toward the captured Yomi without an ounce of emotion in her tone.

"Like hell you won't!" the whip wielder howled, her arm drawing back and preparing for a powerful strike, "Number 38 Mitsuha will pay you back for freezing me last time!"

The air shattered with the force of her whip, a miniature sonic boom erupting in the air as the bulbous iron cored tip headed directly for Akitsu's brown haired head. However, the air shimmered with a red and white blur, a powerful force striking out like the hammer of Thor and intercepting the whip in mid strike. The whip was blown back by the force of the punch, the teardrop iron end flattening slightly as Musubi stood in its path, a single balled fist held out in the aftermath of a devastating straight punch, "Number 88 Musubi won't let you!"

"Don't think it's just that weakling you have to deal with number 88!" the third and final girl of Mikogami's group shouted, her hands casting out a wide net of nearly invisible wires toward Musubi, "Number 39 Mitsuki will knock your ass right out of the game!"

"Foolish," Akitsu said, another hand raising up and freezing the wires in mid-air, ice condensing around the thin strands and rending them harmless as they fell to the ground, "you will never win. Our love for our Ashikabi-sama is too strong for you to get past."

"Maybe we won't" Mitsuha said with a sudden smirk, her whip being pulled back and prepared for another strike, "but we just need to distract you long enough."

The air was filled with the sound of shattering glass, Akitsu's lapse in attention giving Yomi the chance to break free of the icicle prison and pursue Minato and Haihane into the forest with her blade shimmering and thirsting for blood. The ghost of a frown crossed Akitsu's lips as she raised a hand out to free Yomi once more, the chill of arctic winds condensing around the scythe user in preparation for a sudden sub-zero blast. On pure instinct Akitsu quickly disengaged her concentration, her body leaping to the side and avoiding an iron whip strike thus allowing Yomi free entrance into the dark forest. Musubi was also being occupied, her focus on dodging the various wires and closing the gap between herself and Mitsuki absorbing every last bit of her attention. All the while Mikogami only smiled, his eyes gleaming with bottomless greed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There he was, that disgusting and utterly vile monkey that wanted to violate her, to claim her for his own. She knew his intent, every Ashikabi's goal, to steal her innocence, to tear out her tender and fragile heart and spoil her for the rest of her life.

Then why would her body not stop heating at the sight of him, tsunamis of emotion swelling over her at the sight of his dark hair and gentle smile. Why could she feel that strong yearning for him, her heart being lead by an invisible string toward him, forever pulling like a fish caught on a barbed hook?

She growled to herself and bit her bottom lip, warm and salty blood spilling into her mouth and shattering her wavering emotions. She needed to do this; she needed to kill him to protect herself. She wouldn't ever let him have her, her strength, her body. That gentle smile had to be a farce; his kind eyes a cruel trickery that she would never fall for. She would grow to be the absolute strongest and prove that Ashikabi's were meaningless fragile beasts that didn't even deserve to be in the presence of a Sekirei let alone bond with one.

She looked down as the four came close to the forest, their attention drawn away by the arrival of the other Ashikabi and his Sekirei. Disgusting...simply disgusting! Thankfully she felt no tug at her heart towards the new one, only towards the original monkey. She watched as the clawed one and the Ashikabi darted off into the forest to leave the other two to fend for themselves. He wouldn't even fight with them, the despicable monkey not even having the bravery to stand by his Sekirei to the bitter end.

With a hate filled snarl she leapt high into the air, her body sailing far above the fight below before descending into the thick jungle of the botanical gardens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was around here, she could feel it. The heat in her chest grew so much stronger as she drew closer, the mild burn becoming a scorching inferno as her heart trembled from the sensation. Taking a quick look around from atop the building she searched and searched, the red ribbon of her soul leading her to look just in time for him to arrive...oh my.

A soft pink tongue darted across her lips as she licked them, feline eyes homing in on his presence like a bird of prey would spot a their evening meal. Every cell in her body sang out in ecstasy at the sight alone, the draw of his presence almost enough to make her walk off the ledge on which she was perched. The burn of her body rose to new heights as he turned just a bit to face her, dark hair and thin body sending a shiver down her spine and a quake to her knees. There was no longer any question about it, she needed to meet him.

The heel of her shoe stepped onto the ledge, her muscles tensing and the wind beginning to gather as she prepared for a wild jump. However, she was suddenly stopped by the appearance of a car, a pearly white stretch limousine opening to a flamboyantly dressed young man. One by one the boy was followed out of the limo by three Sekirei, all of them quickly forming into a loose formation around him as they approached.

He turned around just as the young boy said something, the calm afternoon winds easily carrying the voices up to her. Every word seemed to glide into her ear as they spoke, especially him. His tone was firm and unbending to the boy, strength behind his words despite his gentle obviously nature. Then he yelled, his thick and heavy voice nearly shattering the breeze which gave the words passage. His emotions were clear as the sky was blue, emotions of hurt, anger, but most of all concern reaching her with every bit of impact behind them as when they were uttered from his lips...it was very manly.

A few short words later and the grey Sekirei had picked him up, her strength easily hoisting him into the air and pulling him into the forest. With a smirk she bent her legs slightly, the wind as her back growing to hurricane proportions before she leapt up, her path bringing her directly for a small opening in the dense foliage...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kusano!" Minato yelled into the cavernous wild, trees as thick as cars surrounding him and sending his voice into a cacophony of shapeless echoes. Beneath the shade of the massive trees it seemed to be more night than day, only sparse splotches of sunlight able to weave through the impenetrable mat of leaves overhead. Grass grew waist high despite the dark shade, flowers blooming in the shadows of the forest without a spark of sunlight to give them life.

"Which way is she Minato?" Haihane asked as she slashed away another ensnaring vine, the barbed foliage reduced to shreds by her steel claws.

Minato's head spun as he looked about, every sense in his body working overtime to spot the child like Sekirei in the darkness. Suddenly, Minato caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye, a bright and shining beacon seeming to burst from the sheer darkness of the overgrown jungle. At the center of the bright white light he could hear something, something so soft and quiet he needed to strain to hear it. Crying...it was a child crying, "That way Haihane-san!"

Haihane was off like a shot, her possessive hold on Minato not loosening for a moment as she raced for where Minato was pointing. It seemed like an endless maze of green and brown, trees and bushes blocking her path as Minato held his hand straight and true, his path decided by a sight she couldn't capture. Yet, despite all of the twists and turns the pair suddenly came upon what had to be the center of the gardens, a massive shell of wood and leaves encircling a small body.

Minato eyes snapped open as he recognized the form, the dark blond hair and soft sniffles giving her away in an instant, "Kusano!"

Kusano was quick to raise her head, hope shining in her eyes and she looked towards the source of the voice. Standing there with a grey haired woman was her onii-chan, that dark hair and kind eyes sending a fresh wave of tears to her eyes, "Onii-chan!" Kusano hopped up from her proposition in the cocoon of wood, her small and stubby legs moving her as fast as she could toward Minato.  
Minato gently pulled himself from Haihane's hold before facing Kusano, his body falling to one knee as he held his arms open for her, "Kusano, I'm here, you're safe."

Minato was nearly bowled over as Kusano jumped into his arms, her small limbs wrapping around him tightly with tiny hands gripping hold of his jacket with all of her strength, "Onii-chan! You came for Ku-chan! Thank you onii-chan!"

Like ice melting in the heat of the desert Minato felt his rage and panic leak away, a gentle smile crossing is lips as he chuckled softly, "I told you I would Ku-chan, I'd never leave you out here alone."

The events of the day flooded Haihane's mind as she looked over at Minato, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she gazed at her Ashikabi. Minato had been pushed to the very edge and over the brink, his emotion fueled mind causing him to take charge and shed his doubtful and cautious nature. Haihane had seen the strength that he could exude, the man that was still hidden in the self doubting and weak boy. That was in there somewhere and perhaps there was some way to draw out that determination to make him a stronger person.

As Haihane looked on at the two with an amused smile she realized that it didn't really matter at the moment. The sweet scene pulled at her heart strings as she softly chuckled. This was Minato, always kind, always caring, but most of all always warm.

"Now isn't that sweet?" a voice spoke up from behind the trio, their heads turning on a dime and finding a new intruder in their presence, Yomi, "Looks like the kid really loves her 'onii-chan' huh? You're so perverted going around and corrupting a little girl like that..."

Kusano held tighter to Minato with a whimper, "It's the mean onee-san that hurt Takami-nee..."

Minato gave the blade wielding Sekirei a nervous stare, if this one was willing to attack humans then there would be no stopping her from taking Kusano...

The sound of freshly crushed grass announced Haihane's presence as she stepped between Minato and Yomi, her claws twitching from excitement as she grinned, "the runt already chose my Ashikabi so looks like you're too late."

Yomi chuckled low in her throat as she lifted the death scythe from her shoulder, the large metal instrument easily being spun between her fingers before the butt slammed down into the ground, "I don't care if she chose or not. My Master wants that green girl and I will get her."

In a blur of movement Haihane was in Yomi's face, her claws pulled back and fanned out for maximum effect, "I was hoping you would say that!" Yomi barely had enough time to block the strike with the handle of her scythe, metal clashing against metal as the smell of a hot oiled spark filled the air. Haihane's grin was wide as her one eye seemed to glow with a haze of madness, lust for blood and battle racing through her as she continued her assault. Drawing back her free hand Haihane slashed forward, a powerful and debilitating strike aimed as silencing Yomi for good.  
With a quick spin of her scythe Yomi redirected the first strike, the clawed hand cutting through open air as the new attack was blocked by her scythes blade. Yomi grit her teeth as the force of the hit vibrated through her weapon, the reverberations caused by the blade to blade contact sending a painful shiver through her bones. Muscles strained with the effort to hold back Haihane's attack, her scythe quivering as Haihane continued to press her vicious assault.

Another slash met empty air as Yomi disengaged the clawed girl, her gleaming blade swiping the side of Haihane's outstretched claws and sending the bandaged warrior off balance for just the slightest of seconds. That was more than enough time for Yomi to raise her weapon high into the air, a powerful slash cutting through the nothingness of the air separating Yomi and Haihane. Gritting her teeth Haihane fell to the ground, rolling onto her knees and quickly bringing her claws up into a guarding position. Wind began to howl all around her before it suddenly fell silent, her very breath draining from her lungs as a perfect vacuum descended all around her. In the midst of the nothingness she felt pain erupt all across her skin, tears opening in her bandages as blood leaked from the wounded skin beneath. Hundreds of blades made within the vacuum slicing open dozens of small cuts all along her form, her claws sparking as the knives of void made contact and reflected off harmlessly. It was over almost as quickly as it had begun, Haihane resting on a single knee with a body of cuts and slow trickles of blood gathering in her once pristine grey bandages.

Yomi watched in smug satisfaction as Haihane remained on one knee, her body shivering as blood slowly started to leak from the wounds she had inflicted. The pain must have been intense, the wind induced cuts not nearly enough to kill but more than enough to slow the grey girl up enough for Yomi to give a finishing blow. Normally Yomi would just cut away clothes of the Sekirei, watching as they became more and more ashamed of their nude bodies. However this opponent was nowhere near normal and she needed to attack her with every power she could muster.

The smug smirk suddenly slipped as a small chuckle rose into the air, Haihane's shivering body rising from its single knee and coming to stand to the reapers full height. Haihane's hair cast a dark shadow over her one visible eye, her lips pulled back with a malicious grin and an insane cackle, "now THIS is what I was waiting for!"

~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~

Kusano had long ago passed out once again leaving Minato to watch alone in shock. Once more Haihane blurred out of existence and reappeared in Yomi's face, her claws pulled back and prepared for another assault on the scythe wielder. Once again Yomi was just barely able to block the tyrannical strike, the ten blades and insane speed of the clawed Sekirei almost more than she could handle. This...this was Haihane? Minato stared with wide eyes as Haihane pressed every advantage she could, beating down Yomi with her every strike as blood continued to flow from her skin. Was this the real Haihane, a bloodthirsty and violent monster? His heart ached as he thought about it, what happened to the laughing Haihane, the fun Haihane...the sane Haihane.

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~

How was this grey one so fast and so strong? How was it still moving with all of the blood it must have lost by now? Yomi's mind filled with frantic thoughts of how to defeat the insane beast of a Sekirei, her mind racking itself for some sort of solution to her deadly problem...and then it hit her. Turning her head ever so slightly she could see that the battle had taken them only a short distance away from the grey girls Ashikabi. With one good swing she would be able to incapacitate the Sekirei and get rid of the troublesome Ashikabi all at once! It was dangerous but given the monsters ever increasing speed and viciousness it was a gamble that she was willing to take.

In a flash of movement Yomi's foot flew out and caught Haihane in the stomach, the surprise physical attack sending Haihane back as few feet as Yomi turned to face the dark haired Ashikabi and the green girl. Raising her scythe high above her head she saw the Ashikabi's eyes widen in fear, his jaw dropping slightly with terror at the realization of her intent, she was going to enjoy this.  
With all of her might she pulled on the blade, her strength aiming to create a vacuum and slice the Ashikabi to ribbons…but it never happened. For some reason her scythe had stopped, no matter how hard she pulled she couldn't move it from its frozen position above her head. Glancing up she looked to her blade, her eyes widening as she saw the barbed claws that were hooked around her deadly edge. A low chuckle met her ear as the grey reaper spoke the curse of a shinigami, "Try and hurt my Minato-kun? Time to teach you a VERY harsh lesson."

Before she could even react a scream inducing pain dug into her side, the warm trickle of blood leading down her body as she looked to see what had caused the agony. Clenched around her side was one of Haihane's claws, the hooked barbs digging into her flesh and tearing it away as Haihane's grip tightened. The pain was far from over as Yomi's blade was torn from her grip, Haihane spinning around Yomi's body with the scythe hooked into her barbed claws and bloody muscle tearing as she wrenched her other gauntlet covered hand away. A fresh scream broke from Yomi's mouth as Haihane swung the razor sharp blade into her body, the tip of her death scythe digging into her thigh and eliciting a howling of sheer her muscles torn and useless Yomi fell to a single knee, one arm valiantly trying to slow the blood that flowed from the wound on her side while the other desperately pulled at the handle of her scythe in an attempt to remove the steel from her leg.

Haihane chuckled drawing Yomi's attention up to her, the grinning Sekirei pulling back a single hand and forming a pointed spear like edge with her five bladed fingers, "You were fun but play time is over, Shokei no Tsume!" With the speed of lightening Haihane struck, her glinting steel quickly turned a bloody red with her attack. Yomi gagged for air as she reached for her throat, wide and terrified eyes tearing at the realization that she no longer had one. Haihane had completely and utterly obliterated Yomi's throat, viciously tearing it out with the cold maliciousness of a wild animal. Yomi suffered the blistering pain for a few more agonizing moments before her last breath left in a bubble of murky blood, her dead body falling to the side as she passed on to the next world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She almost couldn't believe what she had just seen. That grey Sekirei had completely and utterly obliterated her opponent, even going so far as to tear out her throat...it was almost too much for her to even stand. A queasy sensation in her stomach however reminded her of her goal, her ultimate end for this hide and seek that she had played with these two. It would end here and now, she had seen enough and she knew how to defeat the grey one. There was no way she would lose and by the end of the day, that vile Ashikabi would be dead.

Without another thought she leapt from her perch and into the clearing where they all stood...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His breath stopped in his throat as he watched Haihane commit cold blooded murder, crimson drops of liquid sliding from her claws and pattering against the ground in a quiet rhythm.

At her feet lay her opponent, the scythe wielding Yomi with three deadly wounds on her body. On the side of her body was a deep bloody gash, her torso being torn open by Haihane's hooked claws. In her thigh Haihane had driven Yomi's very own scythe, the sharp metal blade buried so deep into her leg that the tip had poked through at the other side. At last was the gaping wound that used to be Yomi's throat, Haihane's claws making short word of the soft flesh and muscle.

It...It made him sick.

Feeling his stomach begin to lurch he set Kusano aside, his body rolling away from the innocent child before he vomited every last bit of food in his stomach up. Sickness rolled throughout him until he was dry, his body retching pitifully as he tried to calm his every quaking gut...something that was a losing battle from the very start.

Haihane...what had happened to her? What was this murderer doing in her skin? The Haihane he knew would never do something like that, she would never kill...she would never...yet he had just seen it before his very eyes.

What did this?

What was the reason?

The Sekirei Plan...Haihane and Musubi said that they had to fight until the end, that they would need to fight others to eliminate them from the game. Was this the game? Was this what became of those that lost? Another gut rendering retch reinforced his thoughts, his heart tearing as thought of the change that had overcome Haihane. Her friendly, calm, and beautiful personality overtaken by the lust to fight, the desire to kill. Tears found their way to his eyes as he thought of the blood that would be spilled, of the life that would be taken, of the violence that surrounded this insane Sekirei Plan...no.

He couldn't...

He wouldn't...

Another retch shattered his thoughts as the last bit of bile in his stomach leaked from the tips of his lips.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane looked down at her kill, a prideful smile on her face as she shook her claws free of blood. The number had been weak, the scythe wielding one truly a pitiful opponent in battle. However she still provided fun. She still gave the same thrill of the battle that Haihane had so yearned for. Yomi had also given Haihane the greatest gift of all, a trophy to show her Ashikabi, something to prove her willingness to do whatever it took for his sake. Yomi would be the first of many victories she would attain in the game. She would make it to the end with Minato, she would be the last one and she would be able to stay with him forever and no one could stop her. She was only vaguely away of the sound of someone throwing up as she thought of how proud he would be...

Just as she was about to turn around and find out a sudden sound caught her attention, her eyes turning to find a new challenger had entered her blood soaked ring. Standing a short distance off was a blond haired Sekirei, intense cerulean blue eyes glaring at Haihane with unkempt rage. She was dressed in a short white dress beneath a large black cloak, thigh high stockings and boots clothed her nimble legs. An aura of incredible power seemed to hover around her, her light blond hair and short white skirt fluttering in a nonexistent breeze as she spoke, "Are you the Sekirei of that Ashikabi?"  
Haihane smirked and nodded, her claws clicking together at the prospect of a new battle, "Yeah, why?"

The short skirted Sekirei merely crossed her arms, her prodigious bust ludicrously accentuated by the simple action, "Move. I need to kill that filthy monkey to protect myself from his vulgar hands!"

"Oh?" Haihane questioned, fingers tensing as she spoke, "and what if I don't?"

"Number 9 Tsukiumi," the earth beneath Haihane's feet began to shiver as Tsukiumi continued to gather her power, her strength rising in leaps and bounds as she spoke, "will defeat you so I can kill that Ashikabi before he has a chance to violate me! Mizu Matsuri!"

The earth suddenly split like an erupting volcano, a huge tidal wave of crystal clear blue materializing bursting from the ground and aiming directly for Haihane. However, instead of a look worried the grey girl merely smirked, her body beginning to haze with the speed of her movement as he claws fanned out in deadly display, "Single number or not I'm going to slice you to pieces!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It...It was happening again.

Despite the vomiting draining the majority of his energy Minato found just enough to stand, his struggling rise accompanied by numerous stumbles and false starts. Once on his shaky feet Minato's head turned to the newly revitalized battlefield, his heart tearing inside of his chest as he looked over it all. On one side was Haihane, her insane grin back in place as she battled a new opponent, a water conjuring blond haired girl with massive breasts. However this was nowhere near enough to distract him from his thoughts, hazy eyes just barely able to focus from his sprouting tears.

Was this it? Was this their fate? Always fighting, always full of hate? It sickened him to the very bone, every ounce of his being crying out in anguish at the mere thought of it all. Tears fell down his cheeks as he watched Haihane and the blond girl fight, water clashing with steel as the two battled. Each one was equally vicious, killing blow after killing blow being blocked or avoided by the smallest of margins…he hated to see it...no matter how angry he was he never wanted anyone to die...he never wanted to fight...

With one arm across his stomach his fist clenched in the material of his jacket, his eyes screwing shut and stopping the falling tears.

No, he couldn't fall apart here.

It was this game, these insane rules, they changed Haihane-san.

This was not the real Haihane that he knew.

This was not the girl who made jokes that made her laugh until she hurt.

This was not the girl whose bad jokes made him laugh in secret.

This was not the girl who loved to wrap herself around his arm any time she could.

This was not the girl who he loved to feel press up against him.

This was not the girl he...the girl he...

A sudden scream broke him from his thoughts, his head shaking away his contemplations as he gazed upon the battlefield.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane chuckled as she delivered a vicious kick to Tsukiumi's stomach, the single numbered water user leaving a massive opening in her guard due to her wide arm movements and slower attack speed. There was just enough of a lag between Tsukiumi's attacks and her guarding movements that Haihane had little trouble bolting in, her speed easily outclassing the ocean eyed beauty and laying her flat with a powerful strike. The blond haired Sekirei let loose a pained scream as her stomach caved in on itself, her body hitting the ground and skidding along from the powerful force behind the strike.

Rising up Tsukiumi shook her head to free herself from the haze, her mind just barely settled when she found herself face to face with the tips Haihane's claws, a sick and twisted grin on the reapers lips as she spoke, "Well water balloons. Guess you'll be my second win of the day."

Tsukiumi sat there with a stunned expression on her face, her second loss in a fight coming at the hands of this ridiculously fast and powerful bladed Sekirei. Unfortunately now it was the end, no learning from her mistakes or even growing stronger to some day defeat this opponent with all of her might. She was soon to fall, death coming toward her in the shape of this ghastly grey haired murderer. Every bit of Tsukiumi's body locked up as she watched Haihane's other arm draw back behind her head, all five blades pressed toward a single spear-like point as she drove the deadly attack forward.

A pained scream filled the area as the attack hit home, the tips of her steel claws gouging into bone and tearing through soft and supple flesh. Muscle was torn to shreds as blood spurted into the air, pearly white bone showed through as the attack cut to the very marrow. However, as the attack continued its path of deadly destruction Haihane's eyes grew wide, her breath catching in her throat before quickly pulling her claws back and canceling the attack.

Laying prone and above Tsukiumi was Minato, his left forearm torn to shreds as it took the full brunt of the attack meant for the water mistress. For a moment Tsukiumi looked as if she would throw him off and attack in a rage, but the moment she smelt the metallic scent of blood in the air she stopped, her own eyes widening as Minato rolled his tired body off of hers.

After a few labored breaths Minato looked at Haihane, his face turning a ghostly pale as blood rapidly poured from his arm and onto the dusky ground below, "H-Haihane...please...no more...no more killing…" Minato silently slumped to the forest floor, consciousness leaving him as a crimson pool continued to gather beneath his body.

"_**MINATO****!**_"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Note: Yes I am a bastard, I have my black belt in the style as a matter of fact.


	6. Scars

Hello one and all! Did you do your homework because if you didn't Chichi is gonna KICK my ass! Another free e-cookie to everyone who gets the reference but onto business. This chapter is the longest to date and it was a blast to make...right up until the third coffee started to hit my digestive system with a vengeance. But in any case, I hope you like this chapter. It is one of the best ones I've done so far. It has plenty of drama, humor, and everything else that makes you scream with joy! So without further ado please read, review, and most of all enjoy this latest installment of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 6: Scars  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soft grey fingers gently brushed against his pale cheeks, blood drained flesh cold beneath her bandage bound fingers. Had she ever really touched him? Skin pressed against skin to feel his whole being, warmth bound to warmth as they shared body heat...to be with him as one? A deep sigh echoed in the pure white and sterile room, fingers sliding from his face and falling to the pale blankets that surrounded him. The hollow beeping from the machines by her side doing nothing to comfort her, its cold and metallic voice vibrating in a constant rhythm. The steady tone was unending, a quiet howl letting the world know he was alive, that there was some pulse left in his heart.

How had she let this happen?

How could she fail him so spectacularly?

Closing her eyes she thought back to that time three weeks ago, a lifetime passing in twenty one short days doing nothing to dull her memory...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane's pale features lost even more of their color, breath stopping in her throat as she looked down to the crumpled form at her feet. Blood continued to pool around the shredded remnants of Minato's arm, her claws bathed in his crimson essence with tattered scraps of his flesh still hanging from the steel barbs. Her blood seemed to turn to ice as she fell to her knees, tears building in her eyes as she screamed with every last bit of her breath, "MINATO!"

Still he didn't respond, his unmoving body barely even twitching as it gasped for air. Every so often an errant muscle caused his leg to twitch, hope briefly springing to her eyes before it was crushed by the scarlet puddle that continued to grow. She didn't know what to do, what to even think as Minato lay there...cold...dying.

"You vile little monkey!"

Haihane jumped a bit as she looked up to find the blond Sekirei she had been fighting had scrambled to her knees, the one known as Tsukiumi quickly crawling across the ground until she was face to face with Minato's bleeding body. Her muscles froze as she wondered whether or not the water spouting Sekirei would attack Minato, killing him as she so forcefully promised to do only moments ago. However, instead of attacking him the blond haired one grabbed hold of his shoulders, fingers digging into his clothes as she violently shook him, "What did you do that for? Why did you protect me? I don't need your help so why? Answer me you rotten monkey! WAKE UP!"

No matter how hard Tsukiumi shook him nor how loud she yelled Minato remained unconscious, his eyes closed to the world and every last bit of his body unresponsive to the world around him. Tears began to break the dam of Haihane's eyes as they finally hit their breaking point, the pools of salty liquid spilling down her cheeks as Tsukiumi continued to yell, to shake...to cry.

Suddenly the world became a whirlwind of dust and leaves, violent gusts tearing the ground apart as a tornado of force descended into the group. Haihane covered her eyes as the wind blew, her eyes squinting as she tried to peer through the murky haze of earth and darkness. Gradually the blistering breeze started to slow, hurricane force gales slowing to simple summer gusts revealing a women at the center of it all. The woman was tall with flowing black hair, her body clothed in a skimpy purple dress that barely covered her massive chest. Narrow cat-like eyes were perched above painted and plump frowning lips as she looked over the scene before her.

Without a word she walked forward, her eyes looking down at Minato with a pained look in her face. Haihane could almost swear she saw a tear in the woman's eye before she quickly wiped it away with a single finger, her other hand reaching down and grabbing the back of the still ranting Tsukiumi's collar. Without even an ounce of effort she pulled the hysterical Sekirei from the downed Ashikabi, the blond haired beauty screaming her protests before she was silenced by a single venomous glare.

"Who...are you?"

Haihane was surprised to hear her own voice ask the question, the crackled and groggy tone matching her tears that never seemed to end. The woman snapped her attention to Haihane, her dark eyes narrowing dangerously before she bent down. With a finesse and care that Haihane could attribute to a devoted lover the woman picked Minato up, her arms cradling his body and letting his one shredded arm dangle in the wind, "I am Number 3 Kazehana. I will take your Ashikabi to the hospital." Haihane could feel the frosty way that Kazehana has said 'Ashikabi,' her condemning voice striking the bladed Sekirei directly in the heart.

"You can't!" Tsukiumi suddenly exploded, her body back on her feet with a ball of water forming in her hand, "We can't trust that you won't try to hurt him!"

Kazehana gave Tsukiumi a frigid look, a sub-zero glare that seemed to stop the water wielding woman in her tracks, "Just like you tried to do only a few seconds ago? I'm not that cold-hearted...especially for someone so manly."

With that wind started to gather, the same violent microburst from before materializing around Kazehana in seconds. The tornado of force rose higher and higher into the air, its tip punching a hole through the top of the forest before Kazehana disappeared, Minato in her arms as she vanished into the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A tear dripped from her eye before she wiped it away with one hand, the warm liquid staining her bandaged finger a darker shade of grey from the moisture. Sure enough Kazehana had gotten him to the hospital just in time, the amount of blood in his body just barely enough to keep a child alive let alone a 19 year old 'loser' ronin. After several transfusions and a handful of surgeries Minato's arm was placed in a layered bandage, his torn muscle and flesh held beneath several layers of cotton and tape. It had been close in the first surgery to repair his arm, the doctors almost guaranteeing that he would never be able to regain even a quarter of his normal function due to the major damage done to the muscle and bone...

A soft cough turned her eyes away from Minato for the briefest of seconds, sorrow filled sanpaku eyes glancing at the other two occupants in the room. On a bench placed near the end of the bed Akitsu and Musubi sat side by side, the top heavy fighter leaning against the ice mistress with her eyes closed and a quiet snore emanating from her mouth. Akitsu on the other hand sat as stiff as a board, her body stock straight and her eyes watching over Minato like a hawk. She had barely spoken for quite some time after Kazehana had brought Minato in, her expressionless face becoming even more unreadable following Haihane telling them the news...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane burst from the underbrush of the forest, her claws making short work of the leaves and branches as Tsukiumi followed behind. Perched on the water mistresses back was cute little Ku-chan, the innocent child holding tight to Tsukiumi's black cloak in her peaceful slumber. The scene that they entered into was Musubi and Akitsu still locked in battle, the two powerful Sekirei facing down Mikogami's group without even batting an eye.

It was obvious that the battle was quickly falling into Team Minato's favor; Akitsu had succeeded in freezing Mitsuha from her head to her toes, the prison of ice keeping the whip wielder from even participating in the battle to protect her Ashikabi. With Mitsuha out of the way Musubi and Akitsu had teamed up to take on Mitsuki, the wire spinning girl finding her strings frozen in mid-air while the smiling fighter appeared in her face with a straight punch ready for delivery.

"Oh? It looks like Sahashi-san actually succeeded in getting 108," Mikogami said with a smile, his eyes glinting with unrestrained malice as he spoke, "and it seems he picked up another one besides her too...but it looks like he didn't come back with you, I wonder why."

Haihane flinched at the boys words as Akitsu and Musubi suddenly stopped their assault, their heads turning fast enough to give them whiplash to find that indeed Haihane had returned with 108 and a different Sekirei...but with no Minato in sight. Seeing this second of reprieve Mitsuki leapt back, her fingers tensing as he prepared to launch a binding attack with her specially made wires. However Mikogami stopped her, his hands clapping softly as he spoke, "As much as I hate to retreat I don't think I want to waste my toys like this...let's go Mitsuki, and grab Mitsuha as well. I don't think Yomi will be coming back with us." Without wasting a second Mikogami turned and walked away, Mitsuki easily lifting the frozen whip wielder and following with one last glare to the group at her back.

"Who is the blond one and where is Minato-sama," Akitsu snapped, her normally neutral and unemotional voice coated with icy venom that was on par with Miya's hannya mask.

"What happened Haihane-san? Why isn't Minato-sama here?" Musubi shouted, her eyes looking everywhere as a dangerous aura of panicking power engulfed her.

Gulping slightly Haihane turned her head down, regret in her voice as she mumbled, "M...Minato...was taken to the hospital."

Without warning Haihane found herself with a hand at her throat, Akitsu moving in a blur of speed and grabbing Haihane with a force comparable to the jaws of life, "He. Was. What?"

Haihane gagged at Akitsu's grip, gauntlet covered hands reaching up to grab at the ice maidens wrist and try to free herself from the grip. With all of her might the attempted to pull away from Akitsu but her hold was too tight, even the multiple accidental cuts that had formed from Haihane's claws did nothing to loosen her grip hold. Haihane quickly turned her panicked eyes to Musubi, her gaze pleading for help with her situation. However, the big breasted fight only seemed to share Akitsu's dark glare, her normally cheerful attitude falling to her flaring anger, "M-Minato jumped in the way of one of my attacks ACK!"

Akitsu's grip tightened as the air around her began to drop in temperature, frost covering the ground with her arctic anger. Musubi however was the most affected by the news, her entire body seeming to seethe and simmer as her image became hazy behind a growing cloak of visible power, "Why would you attack Minato-sama?"

"He wanted to protect her!" Haihane valiantly struggled to point at Tsukiumi, her body wrenching and writhing Akitsu's grip before she pointed at Tsukiumi. For the entire conversation the blond beauty had tried her best to remain unnoticed, her presence hidden from the two enraged Sekirei before her.

That was quick to end as Akitsu and Musubi swiftly turned to Tsukiumi, their murderous eyes promising pain should she serve them a lie, "Is this true?"

Tsukiumi cleared her throat before nodding, her brow beading slightly with perspiration but nothing else showing her growing nervousness, "Y-Yes, that filth-...erm, Ashikabi protected me from her killing blow."

With a slow and methodic turn of her head Akitsu once again faced Haihane, her one free hand curling into a tight fist as she spoke, "Killing blow? Were you aiming to kill her?"

Haihane nodded the best she could despite the grip on her neck.

"Did you kill the Sekirei that followed you?" Akitsu's tongue was enough to freeze the sun as Musubi shook, her raw strength solidifying the aura around her body until it was so dense that the cement at her feet began to crumble from the pressure.

Reluctantly Haihane nodded, scarlet sickles of ice forming from the blood on her claws as the temperature dropped even further, "You killed another Sekirei in front of Minato-sama knowing how gentle and caring Minato-sama is. You took a life when you know Minato-sama values all living beings with every bit of his heart."

Haihane's heart dropped into her stomach with Akitsu's words, the beautiful ice mistress opening the grey girl's eyes to the grave nature of her actions and the effect they would have on Minato. Minato was a gentle soul, he would rather catch a fly that was bothering him and let it go outside before he even thought of crushing it. In what way would he like her killing? How would he ever be proud of her for taking the life of something no matter what it was trying to do to him?

Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as her mouth turned down into a gaping frown, her body shaking as wheezing sobs echoed from her throat...only now did she realize her mistake and what it had truly cost her.

Without warning Akitsu released Haihane, the clawed Sekirei crumpling to the ground and not even bothering to stand as her strangled weeping continued, "If Minato-sama does not survive I will hunt you down and slowly freeze every molecule of water in your body starting at your feet and ending at your head. I will save every vital organ you have so you live until you are completely frozen. It will be a slow and painful death just like the one you might give to Minato-sama."

With her neck release Haihane's wailing grew, her guttural sobs becoming louder as her tears flowed freely. Her mistake would undoubtedly have the direst of consequences...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane's bandaged hand squeezed Minato's one good arm, the flesh slightly cold despite the fact that he was well out of the medical danger zone. After that Akitsu wouldn't talk to her, regarding her with a glare followed by a very literal cold shoulder. Even Musubi seemed to ignore Haihane, not even listening when Haihane spoke and acting as if she didn't exist at all. But that was nowhere near the worst part...that had come when she was ordered to take Tsukiumi and Kusano to the Inn before she was even allowed to visit Minato in the hospital...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh, back so soon? And with guests too?" Miya said with slight surprise, her eyes looking over Tsukiumi and Kusano, "I know about the little one but what about the woman?"

Clearing her throat Tsukiumi bowed slightly, "I am Tsukiumi, I am sorry for the intrusion."

"That is no problem," Miya smiled, bowing slightly in return, "I am Asama Miya and this is Izumo Inn."

Miya rose from her bow and looked around, a calm smile on her face as she turned to Haihane, "Haihane-san, where is Sahashi-san, Musubi-san, and Akitsu-san?" Slowly the wispy image of her hannya mask began to take shape, the horrifyingly demonic gaze at ends with her peaceful smile, "It is getting rather late in the day and I would hate to have to kick you out for not doing your fair share of work."

Despite the terrifying view Haihane seemed somewhat unaffected, her eyes down cast as she spoke, "There...was an accident."

Instantly the mask was dispelled, much to Tsukiumi's relief, as a more curious and confused look overtook Miya, "What happened?"

"Minato...he..." Haihane choked as she tried to speak, her tongue becoming too big for her mouth causing her to slow her words, "was...injured trying to...find Kusano."

Miya nodded with a sigh, "The life of an Ashikabi is rife with peril so there really is no helping it. I suppose we can put off cleaning the bath for now until Sahashi-san is better."

Instantly Haihane was gaping at Miya, her mouth wide open in surprise for a few moments before she finally found her words, "You...you knew?"

Miya chuckled, "Of course, nearly everyone one who lives in Izumo House is connected with the Sekirei Plan in some way or another. Besides, how else would a sex fiend like Sahashi-san attract so many women to him?"

"He is not a sex fiend!" Tsukiumi suddenly blurted, her eyes pulled into a sharp glare as her viciously sharp canines bared themselves to the world, "He is a brave man who protected me when this Sekirei attempted to kill me!"

It was almost as if the entirety of Izumo Inn had been moved to the top of the Himalayas, the temperature dropping with unnatural speed as Miya continued to smile. Behind Miya formed the largest hannya mask to date, the gargantuan demonic visage sending Haihane and Tsukiumi into a near seizure of terrified shivers, "Oh did she now? Haihane-san, can you explain yourself?"

"I...I..." Haihane started but she never got further than the first word, her heart beating like crazy as her body shook with terror.

"I take it that the blood on your claws is Sahashi-sans?" Miya commented, pointing at the gleaming blades of Haihane's finger knives.

With a gulp Haihane nodded slightly, Miya nodding as she spoke, "I see...well then, I suppose I should start to clear your rooms for new borders."

"Don't! Please!" Haihane shouted, her hand reaching out to grab hold of Miya's shoulder, completely forgetting that she was wearing her bloodied claws.

With a speed Haihane couldn't even begin to comprehend Miya danced around Haihane's extended claws, her arm grabbing hold of the grey reapers gauntlet and pulling her around with a perfect take down maneuver. In the blink of an eye Haihane found herself lying on her back in the middle of the room, Miya standing over her with a dark glare on her features. Unlike every other time where the hannya was the most horrifying aspect of Miya's displeasure this time Miya's eyes seemed to take on the life of their own, a deeply set killer stare reaching Haihane with chilling lack of emotion, "I would appreciate if you try not to attack me in my own home Haihane-san."

"I...I'm sorry...I didn't mean..." Haihane stuttered but Miya quickly backed off, her eyes returning to normal as she sighed.

"It is alright, I realize you are forgetful," Miya said with a shake of her head, "But please be careful next time."

"Y-Yes, I understand," Haihane muttered as she carefully rose to her feet.

"Good, now I won't clear out your rooms for now," Miya said with a smile, her hannya mask rising as her voice turned to solid ice, "But if Sahashi-san dies then I will have no choice, do you understand?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat Haihane nodded, at least the worst part was over, right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane chuckled at the notion; of course nothing had worked out as she hoped. Her fingers gently fisted in the sterile sheets that covered Minato's body, his shallow breathing raising her hand ever so slightly with each intake of air. Things only got worse for her...especially when Minato's sister found out the news.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Kusano had been placed in Miya's care both Haihane and Tsukiumi raced for the hospital, their brief conversation with Miya pointing them toward a rather large and well known facility held in the eastern sector of the city. The trip was cold and silent, the grey reaper lacking her deadly claws as they bounded from rooftop to rooftop across the land. Haihane could feel the powerful glare that was boring into her back all the way to the hospital, the short trip turning nearly unbearable by the constant stare courtesy of Tsukiumi.

Once they had arrived at the hospital they found Minato was in surgery, a team of doctors and nurses trying with all of their might to pull the young man from the brink of death, a place that she had put him with her own claws. The glares that were given her were almost bone shattering on their own, Akitsu eyeing her down with daggers of ice while Musubi crossed her arms in a huff, her head turning away and not even bothering to greet her as normal. Kazehana was also present, the curvy woman at the end of every male stare and woman's glare...except her own. Kazehana's stare was by far the most powerful, icier than Akitsu's with more ferocity than Tsukiumi's, a wellspring of anger held tightly in check save for her dark feline glare.

For several hours Haihane sat alone on a bench trying her best to ignore the hooded glances sent her way, the dried tears on her cheeks rewetting themselves every so often before being wiped away by a bandaged wrist. It was only after the clock had passed midnight that the emergency light above the room had shut off, everyone tensing as a man existed with an exhausted look in his eye. However his lips were pulled up in a soft smile, his head turning to the first person he could see and proclaiming that Minato was finally stable...his eyes meeting the gaze of the silver haired Haihane.

After a bit more conversation the doctor told them where Minato would be held in the hospital then asked them all to leave, visiting hours long ago over and Minato needing all the rest he possibly could. After some argument by Tsukiumi, something that was quieted by a frosty Akitsu, the group left the hospital, each one of them going a different direction for the night. Akitsu headed back to the inn, an already sleeping Musubi hanging on her shoulder which did not seem to hinder the ice maiden at all. Tsukiumi and Kazehana left to attend to their own business, Kazehana openly promising to return and be the 'manly' Minato's private nurse while Tsukiumi swore to return and give her thanks to her husband, something that she said with a deep blush and shut eyes.

That left Haihane alone, none of the others even bothering to acknowledge her presence as they left. For a moment she turned to look towards the direction of the Inn but she knew she had no home there right now...the only place she could be was with her Ashikabi. With this in mind Haihane easily made the leap into Minato's room, his window opening without the slightest bit of difficulty as she snuck inside. Closing and locking her entry point Haihane proceeded to sit beside Minato the entire night, her proximity to her beloved Ashikabi doing nothing to quell the storm of thoughts that plagued her head the whole night long.

For days Haihane would stay by Minato's side, a gentle grey hand carefully holding his own, her body pressing against his to give him some of her raging body heat, hiding every time security came by so as to not be found out.

One time a Sekirei came by the room for some reason, Haihane's hiding position from giving her a clear view of the short haired and skimpily dressed dark skinned Sekirei. For a long moment the lone Sekirei stood in the doorway, a small smirk on her face as she gazed over Minato's body. Haihane's fingers twitched and ached for her claws, her forgotten gauntlets left back at the Inn ever since she came to visit him. After a spell of tense silence the Sekirei left, a low chuckle on her lips as she muttered something about her Master. That night Haihane retrieved her claws after everyone went to sleep, the sharp and blood stained blades given a quick rinse before she returned to Minato.

Every day Akitsu would show up and watch Minato with unwavering attention. Every day he would sleep.

Every day Musubi would show up and take one of Minato's arms and press his hand into her breasts, her voice calling out for him to wake up and feel her heart. Every day he would sleep.

Every day Kusano would show up and hold her 'onii-chan' tight, her light green eyes staring at him hopefully as if he would wake if she just stared hard enough. Every day he would sleep.

Every day Kazehana would show up and talk to her 'man' as she called him, shoving her massive chest into every body part she could hoping to get a reaction. Every day he would sleep.

Every day Tsukiumi would yell at Musubi and Kazehana for their shameless attitude, her teeth showing as she howled at them to release her husband. And yet every day Minato just slept.

For a solid week Minato just slept, Haihane constantly by his side while the others would join when they could. Haihane didn't sleep, she barely ate, she just watched and waited...

**_SLAM!_**

"STUPID ONII-CHAN!"

Everyone in the room jumped in surprise at the noise, even Akitsu broke her hawk like observation of Minato to look at the new person of the room. Standing in the doorway was a young woman with pitch black hair, her dark eyes burning like the most intense fire as she quickly looked around the room. She wore a simple white shirt beneath a brown jacket, a short skirt coming down to her thighs with a book bag slung over one shoulder. However it was the sheer energy and power that radiated off the girl that took everyone by surprise, her species most obviously human but her spiritual strength on par with a single number Sekirei.

The second she spotted Minato she was quick to stomp her way over to him, every step sounding with a thunderous echo throughout the room. Kusano was quick to panic at the girl's sudden intrusion, her body scrambling off of Minato and running to Kazehana, her small arms wrapping around the older woman's waist and holding tight from fear. Musubi quietly backed away, the girls enraged features reminding her of her adjuster and the woman's legendary temper tantrums. Haihane only watched, her hand hold tightly to Minato's one good arm as the girl stormed up and grabbed Minato's shoulders roughly, "You fucking idiot onii-chan! How the hell did you end up doing this to yourself? What the fuck happened? Why won't you wake the fuck up?"

The girl's grip grew tighter as she leaned in close, her face only inches away from his as she screamed, "Didn't you hear me? I said wake up! Wake up and answer me stupid onii-chan! WAKE THE FUCK UP!"

Despite her command Minato continued to sleep, his closed eyes missing the welling tears that the young woman produced, "Why won't you wake up? I wanted to tell you I got into the University! I wanted to rub it in your face that it only took me one time you third year ronin loser! I had to go to your old fucking apartment, find out you moved, and then find out you wound up in the fucking hospital! Wake up god damn it! Wake up! Wake up...just...wake...up..."

Suddenly the girl started to crumble, her knees buckling as the dam of her tears finally burst. Her entire body shook as she quietly sobbed, tears dripping onto Minato's sheets as she continued to rant, "Wake up...seriously, this isn't funny anymore onii-chan, wake up. Tell me I'm being too violent, tell me I'm being too loud, just tell me something...just wake up."

Without a single word Haihane released Minato's hand, her movements cold and silent as she stood. With several sets of eyes on her she walked around the bed and out the door, unable to see the sister of her wounded Ashikabi cry over her stupid mistake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was only after the girl left that Haihane finally found out her name, Sahashi Yukari had indeed come to find her brother and instead found a near corpse. It tore at Haihane's heart but it helped...especially considering where the information came from...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Following the incident Haihane couldn't force herself to enter Minato's room when anyone else was there. Instead she sat atop a building not too far away, her one visible eye watching with longing as the sleeping Ashikabi recovered, his body still resting and healing from the attack. Once or twice she saw doctors enter the room and give the gathered Sekirei an update on Minato's condition but she never heard them, her eyesight good but lip reading had never been a talent of hers.

For days Haihane would sit on the building across the way from the hospital, her knees pulled up to her chest and gauntlet covered arms wrapped around her legs. Every so often she would draw in the cement of the roof with her claws to alleviate the boredom but mostly she just sat, watching, waiting. As the time drew near for her to move she would grow excited, time passing with the speed of a snail as she bounced in place and waited.

Visiting hours would end and the Sekirei would leave, the moment she was waiting for. Just as she had done the very first time she would sneak into Minato's room however this time she crawled into bed with him, her body curling against his own, feeling their heat mix and mingle with each other to create one. No eyes, no reminders of her mistake, just the two of them in the silence of the night. In the morning when the doctors would come by and the visitors would return she would spirit herself away, the only indication of her presence being the woman shaped indent on the bed beside him.

One night however was different, a change to her torturous routine.

The time was growing near, the visitors beginning to leave as her moment came closer. In just a few precious seconds she could be with him again, her body fitting so perfectly against his own...

"Hm, so this is where you've been," a voice behind her suddenly spoke, the smooth and silky tone sending a chill down Haihane's spine.

Like a whip crack Haihane turned around, her one eye widening in fear as she spoke, "Kazehana..."

Standing with her arms crossed over her chest was the wind mistress herself, skimpy dress fluttering in the breeze of the encroaching twilight. In one hand she held a pure white vase, the sloshing of liquid clear as day as she calmly approached, "Haihane, right?"

Haihane nodded as Kazehana took a seat beside the grey girl, her legs dangling over the edge of the building as she reached between her mountainous breasts. With a little bit of digging Kazehana produced three small saucers, sake dishes stacked neatly atop one another, "Ever since that kid, Yukari came by you made yourself scarce. We wondered if you got yourself eliminated." With skill and speed Kazehana filled all three of the saucers with the elixir within the vase, the heavy scent of sake wafting on the breeze as she continued her thoughts, "but it was pretty clever to sneak in every night through his window and hiding whenever the guards came around."

"You were watching," Haihane mumbled as she huddled further into herself, bandaged hands pulling her legs tighter to her chest.

Without warning a dish of sake was thrust in her face, the silver haired woman jumping at the suddenness of it all. Turning to Kazehana she saw that the dark haired beauty wasn't even looking at her, instead she was setting the third bowl on the roof beside her, "Take it, I'd never poison sake. It's a waste of good alcohol."

Haihane cautiously took the drink before nodding, "Thanks."

"We all were to tell you the truth," Kazehana said with a shrug, her lips kissing the edge of her saucer as she spoke, "I usually watch from this roof. Tsukiumi keeps watch from the top of a building on the other side of the street. Sometimes Akitsu takes a patrol around the area to make sure no other Sekirei are trying to get to Minato...or that you won't try to kill him again."

Haihane looked down into the saucer in her hands, her pale reflection staring back in silence, "I would never...I didn't mean to...I...I'm sorry."

"Oh?" Kazehana took another drink of her sake before refilling her saucer, "and what would you be sorry for?"

"For hurting Minato," Haihane muttered, her fingers tightening around her saucer causing the liquid inside to ripple, "for causing all of this pain...for breaking everyone's trust in me...before I met Minato I probably wouldn't care about all of this...I would have loved to hurt and kill others...but now..."

"Drink," Kazehana suddenly spoke, her own saucer held up into the air in the direction of the hospital as she spoke, "to Minato-kun."

Haihane stared in confusion for a few moments before nodding silently, her cup rising to her lips as she spoke, "to Minato…kun"

The alcohol burnt on the way down, the scent of fermented rice wine seared her nostrils...but somehow, she felt just a little bit of the guilt burn away inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane couldn't help a small smile on her face as she remembered the conversations with Kazehana, the wind mistress telling story after story of her adventures all over the world. She would speak of 'that person' and blushing deeply with every word. She would tell of how the man she loved rejected her, wounding her in a way that no normal wound could. She would tell how she traveled and drank, enjoying her life but never being whole without 'that person.' She revealed that she came back for the Sekirei plan, hoping to see him again and get him to change his mind. Kazehana then told Haihane about how she felt on the day she started to react to Minato, what happened that led her to finding them in the forest, how Minato made her feel whenever she saw him, especially when he acted so 'manly' as she put it.

Haihane told Kazehana about her own life, her desperate desire to be on the disciplinary squad, her goal to be free to fight and fight outside of any regulation. She told Kazehana about when she first met Minato, how he made her feel, how she was winged. She shared how she felt that day not to long ago. How her personality from her past played with her connection to Minato, how she craved a trophy to show her devotion. A few more cups later and she told Kazehana about how sorry she was; she tearfully spoke of how she regretted hurting Minato both physically and mentally with her actions. She drunkenly slurred about how she hoped he would forgive her, the graphic things she would do in and outside of a bedroom to earn back his trust, his love.

From that point Haihane and Kazehana continued to hold frequent conversations, Kazehana jokingly adapting to the nickname of 'gigantic boobs' while Haihane was known as 'pussy cat.' Haihane would show up every so often during the day to check on Minato up close, the glares she was given lessening over time until only Tsukiumi and Akitsu continued their malicious stares. She could feel things begin to lift, to lighten...and then it almost went to hell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a very typical day at the hospital, all of Minato's Sekirei, both winged and unwinged visiting him and trying their best to make him as comfortable as possible. Akitsu kept a watchful eye over Minato's body as always while Tsukiumi and Musubi talked, or rather argued about who was Minato's one and legal wife. Kazehana was nearby the two, teasingly throwing in a comment here and there will full intent on flustering the water user. Kusano was laying net to Minato on the bed, peacefully curling up beside her onii-chan and happily using his body as her own personal teddy bear. Haihane had even shown up that day, her hand gently holding his one good one while her other gently caressed his face, a small and peaceful smile on her lips as she watched her Ashikabi sleep.

Without warning the door to Minato's room opened, a single person entering the room and speaking loud enough for everyone to hear, "Sahashi Minato?" The voice that spoke was deep and debonair, the smooth and sophisticated tone of a practiced businessman ringing throughout the room.

All eyes turned toward the entrance of the room, each vision landing upon a man dressed in an immaculate and finely pressed suit. He was a normal sized man with a slightly lanky structure, light blond hair rested on his head in perfect order as crystal blue eyes stared out with a deep sense of unnatural calm behind them. He was a rather good looking man, someone that could have easily sent a girls heart into a trill of excitement with the right words. However there was something about the man that made Haihane shiver, his glassy eyes and queer smile drawing to mind the same cold and unfeeling smirk that was the perpetual expression of Karasuba.

"Who are you?" Akitsu's neutral and emotionless tone ringing out and speaking the common thought of every Sekirei in the room.

"I am Higa Izumi," he introduced himself with a polite bow, his charming but empty smile glued onto his face as he spoke, "the owner of this hospital."

"Well isn't that interesting," Kazehana spoke up, a small smirk on her face as she placed her hands on her hips, "it's not every day that the owner of a hospital visits his patients. This must be a special occasion."

At first glance one would believe Kazehana's gaze was playful and innocent, a teasing bit of sarcasm meant to fool around more than anything else. However, behind those narrow eyes was the look of a world-wise woman, experience and travel backing her up and proving that no bit of nonsense would escape her; she was not someone to be trifled with, "Ah, indeed. Then let me cut straight to the chase. I am also an Ashikabi like Sahashi-san."

"Sorry little boy," Kazehana said with a chuckle, one hand going up to her head as she took on a rather suggestive pose, "but I'm taken, my heart's been captured by a brand new man in my life."

Panic flared in Kusano's eyes as she huddled further into Minato's body, her tiny fists clenching tighter and refusing to let go, "Ku wants to stay with her onii-chan!"

Tsukiumi's foot stomped on the floor and she pointed out with an extended index finger, her sharpened canines bared to their fullest as she barked, "I would never give myself to you, I won't dare let your naked monkey filth violate me! That right is for my husband only...forget what I just said!"

Despite the strong negative response that he was given Higa only chuckled, his head shaking back and forth as he spoke, "I see Sahashi-san has already gained himself some powerful pieces for the game. It is a shame he had to end up here though."

Haihane flinched slightly but said nothing, her hand holding Minato's tighter as Akitsu spoke up, "that is not relevant. You have not explained your presence here."

Glancing at Akitsu, Higa's eyes seemed to glint, his eyes locking in on her forehead crest before he turned away again, "Ah yes, well it is quite simple. Sahashi-san was injured quite seriously by his accident; the cost of saving his life was not small."

"If it's about money then that's not a problem," Kazehana said with a wink, her hand reaching between her bulging breasts and pulling out a card with the letters M.B.I. printed on it, "this should take care of everything."

Higa nodded, his smile faltering slightly but he was quick to recover the easy grin, "Ah, yes that will be just fine then. However that is only part of the difficulty with having Sahashi-san here. As you know the game we are all participating in is difficult and filled with dangers. Given how vulnerable Sahashi-san is at the moment then I have upped my security as well as had my Sekirei stand watch to make sure Sahashi-san is not hurt."

Tsukiumi's fist clenched tightly, teeth gritting as she hissed, "you weren't helping you trash, you were just looking for an opportunity to kill him."

Higa shrugged, waving off Tsukiumi's question with a flick of his wrist, "Think whatever you wish but the fact is that this is a hospital, it is a very large place and there are bound to be accidents. It is possible that in a routine follow-up surgery Sahashi-san could bleed out and die from us trying to fix his injuries."

Instantly the temperature in the room seemed to drop, the white suited man at the end of more than a few very potent death glares. Tsukiumi nearly growled as she spoke next, her hand forming an orb of water as she snarled, "You shameless filth!"

Higa's smirk widened as two women appeared behind him, one was the short haired Sekirei that Haihane had seen before while the other was a woman with a long and durable looking staff, "I suggest you don't start fights in a hospital. I will have to ask security to escort you out and ban you from these halls for life." With great effort and concentration Tsukiumi crushed the ball in her grip, the orb evaporating into nothing as she cancelled her attack.

"What is it that you want," Akitsu asked, the floor around her covered in a hazy frost as Musubi stood beside her, fist tight and eyes narrowed with a dark glare.

"Simple, I want you to work for me," Higa said with a slight shrug, "to assure your Ashikabi's safety you will perform tasks for me so I don't have to risk my own pieces in this game."

"You really are dishonorable trash," Tsukiumi hissed, her body alight with energy as she tried her very best to control herself.

"It doesn't matter Tsukiumi," Kazehana said quietly, her own fist tightened as she looked from Higa to the still unconscious Minato, "like it or not he has Minato-kun..."

"Minato-sama...Musubi doesn't want to leave him," Musubi said with a sorrowful tone, her eyes gazing longingly at Minato's prone body.

"Ku wants to stay with her onii-chan!" Kusano cried, her arms tightening around Minato in fear of being separated from him.

"I would do anything for the sake of Minato-sama," Akitsu said, a touch of frost to her normally monotone voice. Her body bent forward in a very slight bow as she started to speak, "for my Ashikabi-sama I will se-"

"Stop," Haihane suddenly spoke up, her soft voice cutting off Akitsu as she started to stand. Bit by bit Haihane drew to her full height, her ghastly image only accentuated by the grim shadow cast over her eyes, "Take me...I will serve you...do anything you please...just let Minato be safe."

"You traitor! You'd turn on Minato?" Tsukiumi hissed, her glare darkening as she looked at the clawed reaper. Haihane refused to say anything in response, her stare looking nowhere else but Higa, senpaku eyes glaring directly into his glassy snake like blues.

"Hn...I wanted all of you but I suppose one is better than none," Higa said with a nod, his smirk growing wide as he entered the room, the two Sekirei behind him leaving as the door slammed shut, "I suppose I can agree to the terms, what is your name and number?"

Haihane's gaze never wavered as Higa drew close, "number 104, Haihane."

"Are you willing to do everything I say to save your Ashikabi?" Higa questioned, his path stopping just a few feet short of Haihane.

Nodding her head Haihane responded, "Yes...anything you say."

"Good," Higa's face was overcome by a cold crocodiles grin as he spoke, "Then swear your allegiance to me."

"If you so much as dare I will kill you where you stand," Tsukiumi threatened, her entire body on edge as Haihane bowed her head.

"I don't have a choice...this is my mistake...I'll fix it for Minato," Haihane's voice almost seemed devoid of life, every note dull and monotone...a tone that she hadn't used since she first met Minato. Every Sekirei in the room felt a pang of hurt in their heart as they listened to that voice, Haihane's dead words affecting even the ice mistress Akitsu.

Turning up to face Higa Haihane opened her mouth to speak, "Number 104 Haihane will se-"

**_SLAM!_**

"WHERE THE FUCK IS MY SON!"

The door to the room was nearly thrown off its handles as a woman in a white lab coat entered, her hand leaving a burning palm print on the surface of the door from the force she used to push it open. Over a single eye was a long scar, a dangerous gaze resting beneath a helm of snow white hair. Under her coat she wore a simple suit which made her look like any other scientist. However what separated her from the pack was the fact that pinned to one of her breast pockets was a name tag, the small rectangle saying she was Sahashi Takami from the M.B.I.'s specialist research division.

It only took a moment for her to scan the room until she located Minato, her feet taking her on a direct path for the unconscious boy. She even went as far as the shoulder her way past Higa and Haihane to reach his side, only stopping for a second to grab his medical chart. Scanning over it for the briefest of moments she let it dangle at her side with a frown, her fist tightening on the clip board to the point of nearly snapping it in two, "God damn it...why Minato?"

"You!" Takami shouted as she turned to address the first person she could see, Haihane, "what happened?"

Haihane couldn't even breathe from the pressure this woman was forcing on her, the sheer force of her will choking Haihane. However it was Akitsu who came to her rescue surprisingly enough, "Minato-sama was attacked by a Sekirei and his arm was damaged." Haihane turned her head to face Akitsu with open surprise, the stone faced ice maiden not bothering to look back and instead keep her focus on Takami.

"Fuck...well fine," Takami grumbled, the clip board in her hand sailing through the air until it hit Higa square in the chest, "I need discharge papers, now."

"Excuse me?" Higa said with a touch of heat in his voice, his hands catching the clip board and putting it back into its proper place, "I am sorry but this patient is in too fragile of a condition to-"

Higa suddenly found himself face to face with a demon from hell, Takami's features warping into a hideous and deformed creature made of nightmares as she growled, "I said, I want my son out of this hospital now. I will be taking care of him, got it?"

Despite the horrifying visage Higa didn't seem fazed; instead he seemed rather agitated as he nodded, "of course, they will be ready within the hour." With that Higa left, one last lingering glare being thrown over his shoulder before the door swung closed behind him...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Haihane ran a finger along Minato's cheek she thought of how different a person Minato was when compared to his mother. Sahashi Takami was angry, loud, and blunt to a serious fault. Minato was kind, soft spoken, and took his time in thinking rather than saying the first thing that came to his mind. It was odd to think that she had given birth to such a gentle manly soul when she herself was a fireball wrapped in several layers of bitch...at least that was what Kazehana said with a catty smirk.

Haihane chuckled as she remembered the near fight that erupted between Kazehana and Takami, only to have it stopped when a representative of the hospital returned with papers for Takami to sign. After a quick signature or two Takami called a few people, her demonic visage leaking out more than once as she demanded that whoever it was hurry as quickly as they could lest the incur her wrath. It took less than five minutes total for an M.B.I. company ambulance to show up and take Minato away for treatment.

As Takami climbed into the ambulance with her son Haihane remembered stopping her, one grey and bandaged hand taking hold of the woman's lab coat and demanding to come with, wanting to never leave the side of her Ashikabi. Takami tried to tear away but Haihane refused to give up, her grip soon accompanied by Musubi and Akitsu. It was when Akitsu grabbed hold of Takami that the woman actually looked startled, her eyes looking at the disused number in sudden surprise. However she was quick to play it off with a shake of her head, her throaty voice harsh as she growled, "Get in now."

After that moment the activity around Minato and M.B.I. became a whirlwind of time and activity, his still sleeping body going in and out of surgery after surgery, his hand gradually being repaired with the full might of the M.B.I.'s stellar technology. Haihane remembered that the company only allowed winged Sekirei into the facility; unwinged ones that returned and were uninjured were considered to have forfeited and thus terminated for the rest of the game. That left Kazehana, Tsukiumi, and Kusano to wait for their return, day after day waiting for news about Minato and how he was doing. Tsukiumi would frequently bite her thumb and quietly curse about not being able to see her husband. Kazehana would sigh theatrically and mention something about her fragile maiden's heart longing for her man. Kusano would only sniffle and tear, rubbing her eyes as she tried to hold a strong face for her missing onii-chan.

Every day their routines would repeat, Akitsu, Musubi, and Haihane leaving after breakfast and their morning chores, all of them making excellent time to the main M.B.I. building and the hospital facilities that attached to it. From there they would sit and watch Minato, Musubi holding his injured hand tenderly and speaking to him in his sleep. Akitsu would simply sit at the end of the bed and watch, careful eyes and poised body looking for any sign of discomfort or trouble. Haihane would hold Minato's undamaged hand, carefully stroking the palm with her thumb as her other hand would periodically caress his cheek, a silent plea for him to awaken and open his warm eyes.

Once or twice a few doctors poked their heads in and look pointedly at Akitsu, her unwavering stare never breaking from Minato as they examined her from a distance. Haihane frequently heard them whisper something about Takami before they left, their presence never seeming to hinder the care that Minato got in the least. One day Takami came into the room looking exhausted and battle weary as she plopped into the seat next to Akitsu. She wasted no time in leaning over and whispering a few things into the ice maiden's ear, something that made Akitsu's eyes widen slightly before they returned to a normal and impassive expression. Takami leaned back into her seat, an eyebrow quirked as she looked at Akitsu, the frosty woman saying nothing for a great long while before she decided to respond. Haihane remembered Akitsu's words very clearly, an icy chill flowing through the room causing cold fog to form on the windows, "as Miya-sama would say, 'I forbid violence in the hospital room of my Ashikabi and those who instigate it will be punished'."

Even Takami shivered at Akitsu's voice, her body shaking it off quickly and rising from her seat with a chuckle. A new life seemed to surge through Takami as her chuckle changed into a full blown laugh, the beginning of her satanic facial visage starting to form as she walked out the door...those doctors never came back after that.

So here she was, three weeks later and sitting beside Minato as he slept after his last and most extensive surgery. Takami had told them when Minato returned from his operation that he would regain a good deal of the strength in his arm but it would never be the same. There was also the issue of the scar that was now permanently part of his arm, a long and ugly blemish on his skin revealing where he had been injured. To all of them it didn't matter, Musubi shouting that her love for her Ashikabi-sama would never end. Akitsu seconded the shout, her eyes still never leaving Minato as she confirmed her total and utter allegiance to Minato. Haihane nodded with a soft smile, her hand squeezing Minato's softly as she felt the warmth of his body pass through her bandages and into her skin.

She would never leave his side, now and forever she was stuck with this weak, indecisive, uncoordinated, handsome, brave, and wonderful man...and she wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

Without warning the heart monitor attached to Minato's arm began to increase in beats, the pulsing of his blood gradually growing faster and stronger at an astonishing rate. With wide eyes Haihane watched as Minato softly grumbled, his head rocking back and forth as if he were in the midst of some vivid nightmare. The rocking lasted only a few moments before it stopped, Minato's eyes beginning to flutter open only to wince in the bright light of the room. Slowly the world started to come into focus around him, the soft beeping by his head drew him to consciousness with a swift and steady rhythm. Bit by bit his eyes grew more accustomed to the light that surrounding him, his vision trying it's best to focus on the nearest things he could see...

Silver...that beautiful and wild silver he knew all too well.

"Haihane-san," he croaked, his voice no louder than a whisper as he spoke.

"Minato..." Haihane's voice was crackling with surprise, her wide eyes staring at the man on the bed before her. Thin and chapped pale lips offered a soft smile, tired dark eyes shimmering with warmth as he looked at her. In a flash Haihane leaned forward, her arms engulfing Minato's upper body as she happily screamed, "Minato!"

"Minato-sama!" Musubi was instantly awake at the mention of Minato's name, her dark orange eyes coming to rest on the barely awake man, "Musubi missed you!" Without warning Musubi leapt up from her seat, her entire body sailing through the air before she landed on Minato, her huge breasts pressing into his waist as her arms latched around his stomach.

"Minato-sama," Akitsu said as she walked over to the one free side of the bed, Minato giving her a pitiful pleading look as if he were begging her to save him from the situation. However Akitsu seemed to ignore the look, instead choosing to kneel down by his bedside and take hold of his injured hand with the utmost care, "I am overjoyed to see you are awake. I also have a request I would like to ask of you."

For a moment Musubi and Haihane stopped trying to hug Minato to death, their curiosity over Akitsu's request matching Minato's own as he cautiously ventured, "Yes...what is it?"

"I insist that once you are better you take me to a love hotel," Akitsu said with her normal impassive face, "we almost lost you Minato-sama and I feel it would be a horrible shame if we both died as virgins never having performed carnal acts of desire with one another."

Haihane looked at Akitsu in shock, hair on the back of her neck starting to rile as her fingers itched for her claws.

Despite the lack of blood in his system Minato managed to blush, his eyes wide as he sputtered, "V-V-Virgin? H-How..."

"Your mother was kind enough to inform us of your childhood," Akitsu said causing Minato's blush to instantly drain and his face to become as white as a sheet, "from her perspective it would be almost assured that you would be a virgin until now. I do hope that you will consider my request with the utmost sincerity as I plan to do everything it takes to make you faint from pleasure Minato-sama."

Just as Haihane regained her wits and Musubi asked what carnal acts were Minato settled his head back down, his mind wondering if was too late to pretend that he hadn't woken up in the first place...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	7. Recovery

Hello one and all, how are you today? I would have had this earlier but David Bowie sensei was being really mean even though we're a bitchin' ninja team. Once again another e-cookie chance out there and on we go with my usual introduction shtick! This chapter was very hard to write, I will NOT lie to you. You will find out why in a minute but it took a VERY long time to get the characters to work just right with each other and the mood. In any case it's here now and while it might be a bit slow this will be a major part of the later story arcs that I will take in this fiction. But enough with my babbling, without further ado please read, review, and most of all enjoy this latest installment of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 7: Recovery  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Alright Minato, try to touch your palm with your fingers," a low and gruff voice sounded, the haggard tone of Sahashi Takami speaking from around the butt of her burning cigarette. With a slight puff she leaned back in her seat, one elbow resting on the desk behind her as she looked at the left arm of her patient. Sitting on the examination table was her own flesh and blood, her biological son Sahashi Minato sitting there in a hospital gown with his bruised and stitched arm resting in his lap.

Minato nodded slightly before taking a deep breath, his gaze turning from his mother to the torn and sewn skin of his limb. With a wince of effort Minato's fingers began to curl, his digits starting to tremble with effort and pain as he tried to force them to go even further. Minato's purple fingers gradually crossed the halfway point, bit by bit inching toward their destination of his swollen palm. Quivering and quaking muscles just barely brushing the tips of his fingers against his palm before his teeth clenched and his breath came out in a painful hiss, his fingers instantly relaxing as his one good hand gripped the edge of the examination table.

"Hn," Takami grunted, her body spinning around on the stool and coming to face the chart on the table behind her. With smooth and practiced movement Takami's drew a pen from her pocket, the dark blue ink filling the paper as she furiously wrote down her notes, "Well it's better than last time so that means the surgeries were a success. You'll still need to stick around here for a few more days until I think you have enough motor control..."

Behind Takami's back Minato shook his head, his wince of pain ended as he glared down at the injured arm. "Wait, let me try again. I can get it this time," Minato's teeth bit sharply into nothing, his molars beginning to grind as he tried to pull his fingers into a loose fist. Minato's arm shook with the effort as his nerves turned to fire, pain shooting along his bones with every centimeter he gained towards his sickly purple palm.

In a flash Takami spun around on her chair, her hand shooting out like a bolt of lightning and gripping Minato's wrist, "Minato cut that shit out." A deep gasp of pain sounded from Minato as his fingers instantly relaxed, Takami releasing her son's bruised limb as she turned back to her desk, "you can only go so far before you start damaging all the fucking work I put into that thing…both in and out of the womb."

Minato swallowed, entire body choking back the pain as he settled his arm back into his lap, his other arm gently cradling the injured limb to prevent any more of the shooting pain. After a few moments the sting receded, the only vestiges of the piercing agony being a dull throb along the largest one of his many stitches. Gritting his teeth he shook his head, his gaze not once turning up to face Takami as he spoke, "I need to get back, I can't stay here."

Takami smirked as she rose from her seat, Minato's papers tucked under her arm and one hand on the butt of her cigarette as she turned to face her son, "Get back? To what? Studying to fail the test for the third time?" Takami's laugh was harsh, the acrid smoke that poured from her lips encircling Minato in a wreath which he either ignored or simply didn't register.

For a long moment Minato was silent, Takami walking from Minato to the door as she prepared to get him sent back to his room. All the while Minato's eyes glared down at the arm that refused to work, the result of Haihane's misdirected attack...the result of this insane game, "Akitsu-san, Musubi-san, and Haihane-san told me what they know about the Sekirei plan...and how you fit into it."

Takami instantly stopped, the handle of the door in her grip as she completely froze. However it was quick to pass as her hand slipped from the door and she glanced over her shoulder at Minato, "Yeah, I didn't think me telling you that I was working with aliens that I found on a space ship would fly so I made up that shit about pharmaceuticals...technically I wasn't lying since that's what M.B.I. started up as."

"They told me that you're in control of the Sekirei Plan," Minato muttered, his fingers tensing slightly as he once again tried to squeeze flex his hand, "that you made some of them to be what they are."

This quickly turned Takami around to fully face Minato, one hand pulled into a tight fist as a cloud of dark smoke spewed from her nose like an angered dragon, "Hey, don't you try and pull this shit Minato! Minaka was the one that came up with it, not me!" Minato instantly started to cower into himself much to Takami's relief; she had always instilled Minato with a healthy fear of her headstrong personality. She wanted to make sure he knew who the boss was when she raised them, she wanted both of them to get a taste of what the world was like so they could adapt to it, like Yukari, or find a way around it, like Minato. This way she could keep them safe even when she wasn't around, she could keep Minato out of trouble since he ran from it at the first opportunity while Yukari gained the strength to meet it head on and beat it down mercilessly.

Despite this Minato was surprisingly quick to regain his composure, his body relaxing from its withdrawn state and returning to a normal seated posture. Minato's hand continued to twitch with strained effort, his gaze never meeting Takami's as he shakily mumbled, "You still helped run it...you knew that they would be fighting like this."

Takami was flat out dumbfounded; her eyes wide as she listened to her weak and spineless son talk back to her. In all the years she had raised him he had never argued with her let alone be able to talk following her yelling at him. Yukari was the one who always argued, who always talked back and fought with every bit of her will. Minato was the one who laid down and let the world run him over, surviving to see another day by taking everything passively and letting it go without question.

She shook it off quickly, a stream of smoke escaping the side of her mouth like a piston releasing a hiss of pressurized steam, "You're right, I did know Minato but it's not like I could do anything about it."

"You could have stopped it," Minato grumbled, his voice growing in strength and volume but never reaching beyond a slightly loud whisper, "You could have let the Sekirei go...not let this plan even begin."

Silence reigned throughout the room, Takami simply staring at her son who in turn looked at his arm, a wince of pain crossing his face as his fingers finally pressed into the swollen flesh of his ruddy palm.

"Looks like you actually did it," Takami commented dully, her eyes glancing down as Minato held his hand in a fist before releasing it with a gasp of hurt, "I guess we can release you but you still have a long way to go. You need to get checked up here every week to make sure it's healing correctly and you still need to do those exercises every morning when you wake up and before you go to bed."

Minato nodded silently, his uninjured wrist wiping away a tear from his eye as his bruised hand lay on his lap shivering in pain, "Alright, thank you."

For a moment Takami was silent, her gaze looking over Minato as he tried again to form a fist, working hard to move his muscles just as he had a few short seconds ago, "It was you wasn't it...number 43 Yomi, it was one of your Sekirei that killed her wasn't it?"

Minato's fingers instantly relaxed, his palm falling open in his lap like a fleshy purple flower blooming in the sterile white light of the examination room. His entire arm was a menagerie of stitches, of cuts, of scars...silently Minato bobbed his head before returning to concentrating on moving his fingers.

"It was the same one that did that to your arm isn't it?"

Minato's hand clenched tightly, his body stiffening with agony before he quickly released his sudden knee-jerk hold, "...why are you asking?"

"I want to know what you plan to do Minato." Takami mumbled, her cigarette clutched between two fingers instead of her lips as she spoke, "This is only going to get more dangerous and we both know you can't handle this kind of pressure. You've cracked like a damn egg ever since you were a kid and the Sekirei Plan will crush you."

Deep in her heart of hearts Takami hoped that Minato would be like he always had, giving up, running away, not having to face any danger she couldn't protect him from...

"I plan to finish this game," Minato spoke, his voice for once loud and clear as he clenched his wounded arm into a fist one last time, "I won't let all of them suffer like this kaa-chan."

Takami's heart froze at Minato's words, her fingers fumbling with her cigarette before she shakily brought it to her lips for a deep drag. It had been years since he had called her that. So many that she had forgotten the last time he had spoken so affectionately of his dear distant mother. To think, she had forgotten that little cry baby calling for his kaa-chan…

Takami scoffed and turned away, her hand back on the door handle as she barked out, "Do whatever you want but don't come crying to me when you buckle."

"Kaa-chan," Minato spoke, the serious tone in his voice stopping her just as she began to turn the handle of the door. Slowly Takami glanced over her shoulder, Minato's dark eyed gaze for the first time in years meeting her own as he spoke with a low and level tone, "…you smoke too much."

_SLAM!_

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He remembered that it was dark and cold, a numbing lack of heat rolling through him as he was submerged into a bitter eternal twilight.

How had he gotten here?

How did he end up in this void, this cold and formless darkness that surrounded him like a cocoon?

At the moment he didn't really care. If this was all there was then who was he to argue with it? He sighed silently into the black mass as he resigned himself to float forever in this zone of nothingness...

With the barest glint his eye caught something, a small shimmer of light that sparked just out of the corner of his eye. Quickly turning his head he looked and he searched, his gaze darting everywhere for the glint, the flicker, the opening to some sort of existence in this world...

There it was again! He saw it this time without distraction, a small thread like beam that blinked in and out of existence, the flickering luminescence of a fire fly drawn into a nearly invisible wire. For several minutes he watched the line appear and disappear, existing then being destroyed in an unending cycle. Over and over again the rhythm continued, the flickering streams presence gradually growing longer and longer over time, the hovering pale blue thread seeming to appear with more definition, brighter light with every appearance.

Suddenly the beam appeared with full strength the thread becoming thicker as he looked along its entirety. One end was far out into the distance, the tail of the line never ending, stretching forever into the permanent darkness of this nameless plane. However, as he followed the illuminated string he saw it had come to land on his own body, his chest accepting the glowing strand into his heart as it vanished harmlessly beneath his flesh.

Tentatively his hand reached up, curiosity driving his actions as he just barely brushed the thread with the tip of his finger...

All at once the thread grew, the mouth of a monolithic azure beast rising before him as it grew to proportions of unknown fathom. With a single tug he felt himself drawn inside of the tunnel, his consciousness being flooded with a horizon of unending sapphire as the tunnel closed behind him...

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm done in this room landlady-sama!" Musbui sang, her hands filled with sparkling white sheets and towels fresh from the wash.

"As am I Miya-sama," Akitsu parroted, her borrowed kimono drawn up at the sleeves as she finished scrubbing the last of the dirty dishes.

"All finished up here," Haihane called out from the second floor, her body settled on her knees as she looked at the finely polished floors that lay out before her.

"Very good," Miya said with a bright smile, a wooden spoon in hand with her own kimono sleeves pulled up in preparation for a long day's work, "you three are free to go, remember dinner will be served early this evening so if you want something to eat you need to be back sooner than usual."

Haihane sighed as she got up from her seat on the floor, early meals...that always meant less time with Minato.

It had only been a week since Minato had finally woken from his coma, his previously sleeping body regaining its energy at a rather miraculous speed despite the severity of his injuries. This energy was usually translated into conversations though since he was still mostly confined to his bed, his body unable to move around reliably without some form of assistance. These conversations could last for hours, Musubi being the most vocal with Haihane and Akitsu bringing up the rear. That by no means meant they were silent, in fact Haihane and Akitsu were unnaturally talkative for both of their individual personalities...it was just that the same could be said for Musubi and with her mouth and energy, it was hard to get a word in edgewise.

Despite this Minato did his best to listen to all three of them in turn, answering Musubi's questions or redirecting the more indecent ones, forgiving Haihane several times for the accident in the gardens, and reassuring Akitsu that someday he would take her to a Love Motel. After confirming the strength of his health for the girls he would ask of the Inn, how everyone was doing back at home. They would tell him stories about interactions with the new tenants, Kusano, Tsukiumi, and one he had never met named Kazehana.

Despite the fact that they had yet to be winged they all easily fit into the fold of the home, each one of them finding a little bit of a niche to fill with their presence. Kusano had found a motherly figure in Miya, the purple haired woman taking Kusano with her during shopping trips and even buying her a sweet every once and a while.

Tsukiumi had been rather reluctant about living with people she had never met before, her nervousness coming out in the form of a foul attitude and constant barking about her annoyance at Minato's absence. However this was quick to fade when she found a distraction in a budding rivalry between Musubi and Haihane, all three of the girls determined to be Minato's 'wife' thus sparking more than their fair share of 'sparring' matches in the back yard. Something that was only condoned by Miya after noticing how Tsukiumi's failed attacks had the express benefit of watering the plants and washing the patio.

Kazehana had been the one who found the transition the easiest, her relaxed attitude and apparent familiarity with everyone in the home allowing her to jump in with both feet. It wasn't uncommon to see her conversing with Uzume, Kagari, and even Miya with an informal and friendly air, all three of them responding with the same attitude in turn. Kusano had mentioned once that she thought she saw Kazehana talking to a wall at the end of the upstairs hall but all of them simply chalked it up to her imagination getting away from her.

As for his original girls...well, apparently the conversations Haihane had with Kazehana over bottles of sake continued, Uzume now deciding to join them as they merrily talked the night away between cups of some powerful rice wine. Every conversation had a habit of ending with Haihane becoming heavily drunk and invariably embarrassing herself, her tolerance for alcohol nothing compared to the other two booze hounds whom easily drank her over and under the table.

Yet there was one night that no one, especially Akitsu would forget...

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yara, yara Hai-chan," Uzume asked with a soft chuckle, her saucer of sake balanced on a single finger as she spoke, "you alright over there?"

The night air was crisp and clear as they sat on the roof of the Inn, the brilliant sky above shimmering with trillions of starts despite the drowning lights of the city around them. It was a beautiful evening for drinking as Kazehana had said, her charming smile and convincing attitude drawing Haihane and Uzume to join her in her evening activities. This eventually left all three of them with one of Kazehana's massive Sake bottles to split between them as they perched on the top of the angled home with a grace that only Sekirei could hope to manage...well at least two of them were at the moment.

"Huh? Yesh Ah'm okay~," Haihane swayed in her spot, her body hovering a bit from one side to the other as she took another sloppy sip from her saucer, "Shhake just makesh my eyes shpin is all...tah shink, Ah ushed tah hate th' shtuff!" Haihane suddenly let out a wild laugh, her hair flying into the sky as she flung her head back and howled her amusement into the sky. Further and further did Haihane lean back before she flopped onto the roof, her clothing just barely catching on the tiles of the angled structure and stopping her from sliding off, "Whopsh! Ha ha ha ha mah schtomach ha ha ha mah schtomach!"

Kazehana giggled as she reached down, her hand gently fisting in the reapers tattered kimono before she smoothly hoisted the reaper to a seated position, "Alright pussy cat, you seem like you've had more than enough to m." Haihane instantly turned to face Kazehana, blinking a few times as she looked into the older woman's cat like eyes. The years of wisdom, of drinking, of experience to know how much was too much for one Sekirei to handle...

Suddenly all three of them burst into laughter, Kazehana holding up the bottle as Haihane and Uzume did the same with their saucers, "Kanpai!" With that all three took a swig of their drinks, Haihane and Uzume emptying their saucers in a flash as Kazehana downed a fair portion of the Sake before removing it from her lips with a hearty sigh.

"Nee-san you're so funny," Uzume giggled, shaking her head as she held out her saucer for Kazehana to refill.

"Yeah...yer a card gigantic boobsh," Haihane slurred, mimicking Uzume's movements with far less grace and a shaking hand.

After refilling both girls drinks Kazehana offered a theatrical sigh to the world, her arm smoothly raising up to rest on her thigh before she perched her dainty tapered chin atop a delicate hand, "So how is Minato-kun? I've been so lonely without my man; I think my fragile maiden's heart is breaking!"

Haihane chuckled as Uzume stayed oddly silent, her eyes staring down at the liquid in her saucer while Haihane responded, "Minato'sh doin goood sinch he woke up...damn chill chest keepsh ashkin him tah tak'er tah a Love Motel though." Haihane's eyes narrowed as her hand clenched tighter around her sake cup, her bandaged limb bringing the alcohol to her lips and throwing it back quickly before she drunkenly growled, "Bitsh knowsh thatsh MINE! Ah'm gonna fuck Minato firsht!"

Kazehana's eyebrow quickly lifted, Haihane's insistence and drive planting a seed of mischief inside of her clever mind as she gave the bandaged warrior a refill. Meanwhile Uzume's interest in the conversation rapidly grew, the gears of her brain slowly turning as the wind Sekirei asked a seemingly innocent question, "Oh? What would you do if Minato-kun took you to a Love Motel pussy cat?"

A crooked and perverted grin crossed Haihane's face, her tongue darting over her lips as she drunkenly giggled, "What WOULDN'T Ah do tah Minato...his cock'd have tah be in ah casht for a week!"

Slowly an evil grin grew over Uzume's lips, the mischief that had infected Kazehana jumping to her as she spoke, "Yara, yara I bet you wouldn't do half of what you say you would Hai-chan~"

"Ish that ah challenge shtar titsh?" Haihane spoke with a competitive air, her lips pursing as she took another deep drink of her sake.

Uzume's grin turned absolutely evil as Haihane fell directly into her trap, mental fingers tenting with malicious glee as she let loose an evil cackle in the darkest corner of her mind, "No Hai-chan, this is a challenge. I dare you to scream out everything you'd do to Minato-kun if you got him into a Love Hotel. AND you have to mean it."

Haihane's grin grew as she set down her saucer, her body shakily rising until she stood on her own unsteady feet, "Challenge acshepted." With that spoken the dam was broken, Haihane's voice carrying loud and clear throughout the city as she shouted one sexual act after another, her surprisingly loud shouting voice seeming to correct her drunken slur and make her words easily understandable to any who heard it.

She was roughly around her twenty sixth position when Miya appeared behind her, broom in hand as silencing the drunken reaper with a single crack over the head.

~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~

By the end of her tale Akitsu had the slightest ghost of a smirk on her face, amusement dancing in otherwise emotionless eyes as Minato blushed a deep scarlet and Haihane did her best to hide her own blushing face in her grey bandaged hands.

However, once the initial embarrassment had worn off and Minato had stopped Haihane from trying to strangle the ice maiden, Haihane decided turnabout was fair play, a slow grin overcoming her features as she decided to share something she never thought she'd see happen as long as she lived...

~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a very trying and difficult day for Akitsu.

When she had first awoken from her slumber she found that she had forgotten to take off her kimono from the day before thus ending up in her with more than a few wrinkles in the outfit along with a small tear at the bottom of it. Given that she was still wearing the borrowed kimono from Miya her features grew slightly pale at the thought of it, images of hannya and cold glares filling her head and giving reason for even her to shiver.

Sure enough when she returned the kimono with the gravest of apologies she was at the end of a very disturbing smile, Miya's mask growing to near mythic proportions as she mentioned that the kimono was one of her late husband's favorites for her to wear. Akitsu, ever the stone faced woman, bowed low and begged for forgiveness, something that only came after promising to do anything to make up the money to get it fixed. This resulted in Akitsu having to stay home while Haihane and Musubi went to visit an unconscious Minato at the M.B.I. facilities, something she vowed to be the first and last time.

If this wasn't enough after Miya loaned her a new kimono the refined landlady requested that Akitsu go to the store and pick up the ingredients for the evenings meal, Miya saying that she needed to tend to a few affairs in the Inn. Ever responsible Akitsu accepted the task, leaving the home and getting halfway to the market before realizing that she had completely forgotten any sort of money at all. Going back she received the shopping funds from Miya, a small hannya mask accompanying the woman's light scolding, before she was off again...and right into the splash from a passing truck that covered her kimono in dark greasy muck.

Returning to the Inn once again, being scolded once more, and being loaned new clothes Akitsu headed to the market, for once not forgetting anything and not having the fates try to get in her way. After a bit of shopping Akitsu had gotten everything she needed, relief in her system as she took the food and returned to the Inn...only to be attacked on the way by twin Sekirei dressed in black leather costumes.

Each of them took one look at her and demanded that she return to the tower, her broken number status only causing more trouble for them. Akitsu coolly refused the request, her path aiming to walk around them and towards the Inn only for the larger of the twins to block her path. The confrontation only escalated with time, the hotter headed twin forming an orb of purple lightening and throwing it Akitsu in an attempt to frighten her into forfeiting. All this did was cause Akitsu to jump back from the blast zone, earth and mud flying into the air with more than a few splotches landing on her kimono and dirtying it once again.

It only took a second for her to get her revenge, both of the twins frozen up to their shoulders in icicle prisons as Akitsu made her way around them, an eyebrow twitching in agitation as she thought of Miya's response. Sure enough Miya was irritated with having yet another kimono sullied, her wooden spoon finding the top of Akitsu's head before loaning Akitsu one last kimono, warning her that it was the last one for the day and that Akitsu would be forced to stay home another day if she did it again.

From the afternoon onward Akitsu did her best to avoid damage to the kimono, staying away from anything that could potentially stain it while making her movements smooth and precise so as to not tear the fine material. Bit by bit evening finally came, Haihane and Musubi returning with news about Minato and general information about his latest surgery. It was a little bit of condolence for Akitsu to hear that Minato was still in the safe zone but she was agitated, Haihane and even Musubi teasing her about what they did with Minato in her absence leaving her internal temperature to boil despite her face betraying not a single emotion.

At long last dinner came; all of the residents of Izumo Inn save for Kagari settling down to a simple dinner with the pseudo family. After Miya physically reminded Kazehana to leave her sake in her room they all started to eat, Akitsu first starting with a simple bowl of rice and adding a little dash of soy sauce to it...

With a sudden pop the safety cork on the soy sauce came loose, the dark liquid emptying like a broken fountain and covering the rice as well as Akitsu in the dark liquid. Akitsu could only stare as the material of her kimono grew darker and darker, the fabric staining a deep an irreversible midnight hue from the fermented sauce until the last drop in the bottle slid out and splashed upon her raven black knee. Despite it all Akitsu could only stare at the bottle, her eyebrow twitching and her inner rage building so high that she couldn't even feel Miya's massive hannya mask bearing down on her.

Without warning Akitsu reared back, for once her voice loud enough to shake the very windows of Izumo Inn as she screamed, "GOD DAMN IT!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the end of it all Haihane was smirking in triumph, Minato looking at Akitsu with amazement while the ice woman continued to hold her ever present stone face, her cheeks flushed a deep pink but making no move to deny Haihane's story. Before Minato could even ask if Akitsu if it was true Musubi spoke up from her abnormal silence, her hand shooting into the air as she told Minato about the new training with Miya and her other rivals...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane panted as she looked from Tsukiumi to Musubi, her body soaked to the bone with water and more than a few bruises lining her body beneath the bandages on her skin. Tsukiumi was in around the same boat however her body was covered only with bruises, parts of her clothing having been shredded to bits revealing the purple skin underneath. Musubi was by far the most cheerful, her shredded clothing and dripping wet nature doing nothing to break her natural and effervescent cheer.

"That is enough for now," Miya voice rang out, her tone ceasing the three way showdown in its tracks as she approached the trio, "it is nearly time for dinner and you three still need to take a bath."

"Dinner! Musubi could eat a whole bag of rice by herself right now!" Musubi cheered, happiness in her voice as she thrust a fist into the air.

"Ugh...don't mention food...I'm starving," Haihane muttered as she slipped off her metal gauntlets, the heavy steel instruments being removed with care to make sure they didn't damage anything.

"Likewise, I am also rather hungry," Tsukiumi said as she crossed her arms, her poised and collected position betrayed by the loud growling of her stomach.

Giggling a bit Miya lifted a hand to her mouth, "I am not surprised really, the three of you are always out here working so hard after Musubi-san and Haihane-san return from meeting with Sahashi-san."

"We have to," Haihane muttered, her head lowering as she thought of the accident, "we need to get stronger...I need to get stronger for Minato and... make sure 'that' doesn't happen again."

Musubi nodded enthusiastically, her smile wide and energetic as she curled her hands into happy little fists of joyous might, "Musubi needs to get stronger for Minato-sama so she can continue to protect him now and forever!"

Tsukiumi scoffed, her crossed arms and haughty attitude at ends with her deeply blushing cheeks, "I simply want to be the strongest there is...but if it benefits my husband than I suppose I can put in the extra effort just for him."

"Hm," Miya said in slight surprise, her eyebrow raising just a bit before settling into a soft smile, "well if that's the case would you three like some training?"

"Training?" Musubi questioned in curiosity, a single finger going to her lips as she spoke, "Can you really train us landlady-san?"

"With all due respect landlady-dono," Tsukiumi spoke, skepticism in her eyes as she looked at the seemingly gentle and quiet housewife, "you may know about the Sekirei Plan but are you certain you can teach us anything?"

Unlike the other two Haihane suddenly shivered, those horrid piercing eyes haunting her memories as she thought about training from Miya. Those murderous orbs of a cold blooded killer, the gaze gained only from seeing life end with their own hands...Haihane instantly bowed before she responded to Miya's suggestion, "I accept...thank you for the offer Miya-sama."

To say that hearing Haihane act with respect was surprising would be akin to saying that the sky is blue and fish swim. Even Miya appeared surprised at Haihane's quick response and its method of delivery, the normally lazy and relaxed Sekirei bowing low and thanking Miya respectfully.

Musubi nearly jumped in place, the thought of not going into this alone sparking her interest and energy as she turned to Miya and bowed just as Haihane did moments before, "If Haihane-san is doing it then so will Musubi!"

"I will trust number 104's judgment," Tsukiumi spoke with slight apprehension, her body bowing to what seemed to be only a normal human housewife, "I will do my best landlady-dono."

"Wonderful! We still have a few minutes before diner will be ready so now would be a perfect time for me to test your strengths and weaknesses. If you will excuse me a moment, I will return shortly," Miya said with a pleased smile, her back turning towards the group as she started to leave, "Oh, and before I forget...when I return, please come at me with everything you have."

As Tsukiumi and Musubi looked at each other in confusion Haihane could only quake in a mixture of nervousness and excitement at the words, her hands slipping her gauntlets back on as she prepared for a fight...

~~~~~~~~~_Toki__ Wo Tomare_~~~~~~~~~

It was roughly a half hour later when the three entered the dining room, Haihane and Tsukiumi dragging a nearly unconscious Musubi to the dinner table. The three had taken a bath and were immaculately clean...but the number of bumps on their heads as well as the sheer amount of bruising on their skin made them look like walking emergency room wrecks rather than beautiful and powerful Sekirei. With great effort Tsukiumi and Haihane dropped Musubi before a bowl of rice, the girl instantly awakening and beginning to devour food as if she hadn't seen it in days. Tsukiumi sat beside the human vacuum as Haihane took the other side, her eyelids at half mast as she settled into her seat beside Kusano.

"Hai-nee-chan?" Kusano spoke, her head tilted to the side slightly as she spoke, "What happened to you, Tsuki-nee-chan, and Musu-nee-chan?"

Blinking a few times Haihane glanced at Miya, the kind and smiling landlady showing nothing on her body apart for a little bit of dust to prove that she had participated in the hell she called a test. "We were training Ku...and nothing else," Haihane muttered as she looked down into her bowl, chopsticks in hand as she started to dig in...

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

The effect of that day of conversation had been immediate, Akitsu asking Miya personally to join in on the training sessions so that she could better protect and fight for Minato in the future. After a little consideration Miya agreed, taking the ice mistress under her wing and bringing her in to practice with the others.

After that first day of the four person group Miya had successfully broken down each of their attacks and strategies, her innocent and kind demeanor easily hiding the brilliant warrior within. For Musubi they practiced to increase her agility and fluidity in battle, their one on one spars gradually getting faster and faster with time. Musubi began taking Miya's lessons to heart and each day she came out of it with a few less bumps and bruises.

Haihane was the next on the proverbial 'chopping block,' her claws of deadly might clashing over and over again with Miya's blade and drawing quite the impressive light show with every spar. However Haihane would frequently have to stop in the middle of a string of attacks, her strength and deadly precision growing in leaps and bounds before she jumped away and disengaged her sparring partner. Miya asked what the difficulty was but instead Haihane would shrug it off, her eyes avoiding Miya's as she asked to go at it again, repeating her pattern of attack and drawing away just as she had gained some bit of momentum. Despite her reluctance to expose her problem she grew faster, her strikes becoming stronger, and her attacks becoming far more precise than they had been before.

Tsukiumi was an easy case to deal with; while she was quite powerful her attacks were mostly mid to long range thus leaving her very vulnerable to a close combat specialist like Musubi and Haihane. Miya focused on this aspect the most, preparing her for close combat the best she could with what Tsukiumi had on disposal.

Finally there was Akitsu, the passive faced ice maiden showing her strength with sub-zero skills as well as a newly developed attack that launched a myriad of icicles at the opponent. Miya noticed though that for all of Akitsu's powers she needed a great deal of concentration, her attacks requiring her mind to be completely and utterly focused on something for her to have the damaging results that she wanted in combat. Miya and Akitsu worked together to try to get Akitsu's abilities to respond on the fly and from pure instinct alone which, when perfected, would make an even more terrifying opponent than before.

All in all the group was coming together and becoming stronger with every day that passed, their team work growing as they practiced and sparred with one another.

However, whenever the girls sparred in pairs it almost always led to the most unfortunate instance where Haihane and Akitsu were set to spar against one another, each one having a bit of a blood rivalry with the other both in terms of raw strength and primal desire for Minato. It also ended up that more often than not Miya would have to intervene in the mock battles, stopping both of them without any effort at all and commenting that they would have to stop destroying the back yard lest they want to be punished.

Despite this the group always pulled together at the end of the day, dinner being an enjoyable and amusing event that was filled with laughter and happiness, a family in all but blood sitting around and reveling in the comfort that it brought...

Haihane chuckled and shook her head as she thought of the changes in her life, the months before seeming like a life time ago as she bounded from rooftop to rooftop. She had an Ashikabi who forgave her for the biggest mistake of her entire life, a large group of friends who she cared for and who cared for her, and a strong teacher that was making her more powerful day by day.

For a moment she closed her eyes and remembered that time that seemed so long ago, her body lying flat on that nameless rooftop as she thought about what was one who was destined for battle going to do now...

Opening her eyes she could see him in the distance, that dark hair and skinny body standing in front of the hospital wing of the M.B.I. Under one arm he held a crutch, most of his body weight supported by the walking aid while his other was tight to his chest, his free jacket sleeve wafting in the wind as an over the shoulder sling held the injured limb close. For a moment he looked up at her, his dark eyes squinting into the midday sun slightly before a soft smile crossed his face, kindness filling his eyes as she returned his gaze with a brilliant grin.

"Minato!"

Without a word he dropped the crutch to his side, his free arm opening to welcome her into his embrace. The last thing she could remember before she buried her face in the crook of his neck was his voice, that warm and caring tone calling out to her in the gentle wind, "Haihane."

She realized what she would do.

She would live

She would love

Yes.

She would love.

And she would do it like no other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

All around him the bright azure seemed to bathe his body, threads of shimmering cerulean weaving in and out of his formless shape, dipping below invisible skin and holding tight as it drew him further and further along...where was he?

_You are here Minato_

He jumped slightly at the sound, his vision whipping around, looking for the source, for anything that would show itself. There was only the endless blue, the nameless luminescent ocean that wrapped around him...it was actually...peaceful...

_I have something to show you_

The voice was warm and comforting, a sagely tone vibrating through him as it spoke. It reminded him of someone...someone he had known long ago...before he could even remember...

_This is the stream of your life Minato_

The voice spoke, each booming word seeming to vibrate the walls around him

_The destined bond with the world_

This was his connection to the world? This unending tunnel? It started as a thread but grew the moment he touched it...why was it still here when he was so far away?

_Your Sekirei Minato_

Minato tried to gasp but nothing came, nonexistent air drawing into formless lungs creating nothingness in its wake.

_They hold your connection to the world_

Akitsu-san, Musubi-san, Ku-chan...Haihane-chan. They were the cause of this? This massive stream?

_They are but a small thread Minato, you make it grow_

The thread...that small and almost invisible string. He had just touched it and it had grown, exploding in all directions before it burnt away the darkness with its luminescence

_You feed the connection, you are what makes it strong_

What...but...why him? Why show him this, what is it for?

_Danger is coming and you will help stop it_

Danger? He had always been taught to run from it, his mother scaring him so badly from any source of difficulty that he needed to run away from it...he couldn't stop danger, he could only hide.

_You can Minato, you can help stop the plan_

The Sekirei Plan...he remembered now...Haihane attacking him...wounding him...all for this insane game.

_It is flawed, it can only bring pain_

He knew that! He knew that the moment Musubi-san and Haihane-san mentioned they would fight! But what could he do? He had nothing to bring! He was a failure, a nothing!

_You can do something_

How? HOW? He can't! He is one among billions! He can't do anything to his own life let alone bring an end to this madness!

_If you don't, it will end in this_

It was gone in an instant, the current of azure light vanishing in the blink of an eye before it opened up before him. Massive, simply gargantuan…was that the earth? That blue globe floating in the vastness of nothing? That marble of sapphire floating in the endless seas of dark? It was…he was sure of it…this was earth, his home, seen from the cold expanse of space.

How had he gotten here? What was the purpose? Why?

_Watch Minato, watch the end of the Sekirei Plan_

Without warning a sudden flash burst over the surface of the world, a massive dome of destructive power rising and engulfing a quarter of the planet in a blazing white heat. From the epicenter of the explosion formed an enormous crack, a planet shattering fissure that slowly but surely tore the world in twain. He could almost hear the billions of screams as the planet tore itself apart, two halves of the word splitting like a chopped apple and revealing the white hot magma core at its center. Gradually the two halves began to separate, one leisurely drifting towards it apocalypse in the sun while the other spun off into space, its fiery core turning to pitch black in the blink of an eye as the surface turned an icy white.

Then there was nothing, not even the river of blue in which he rode...simple darkness closing around him with a cold everlasting comfort...

No...It couldn't...the plan couldn't end like this!

_It will Minato unless you help bring about its end._

How would he do it? The plan was massive, it involved hundreds of lives in its immediate balance alongside the billions he had just seen extinguished...how could he do such a monumental task all alone?

_You are not alone Minato, there are many who wish to help you_

A flash of pictures ran through his mind, Musubi-san, Akitsu-san, Ku-chan, Yukari, Kaa-san, Miya-sama, Uzume-san, Kagari-san...Haihane...

_It won't be easy but you have those by your side_

He remembered...he remembered all of their faces...their personalities...what they meant to him...

He couldn't let them down. He wouldn't let them play the game play to this end. He had to finish this game, he had to stop it. There was no choice to run and hide, there was no option to take cover until it was over. He had just seen an entire planet destroyed in an instant, no matter who you were there was no hiding from a danger like that. With determination he didn't know he had he agreed, his mind made up as he focused into the inky darkness of space that still surrounded him.

He would do it.

He would end this game.

_Thank you Minato_

The voice suddenly seemed weary, a worn and torn ringing in his ears as it slowly began to fade

_Tell Miya-chan I miss her and Takami that she smokes too much_

A low chuckle reverberated through the vast void of space, the voice fading with every last word as it spoke

_And tell Minaka, Takehito will see him in hell_

Without warning the world suddenly grew bright, the darkness broken by the beams from a thousand suns all at once. Shapes and sound melded into one, wires crossing and uncrossing in his mind as he tried to make sense of it all. There was a dull throb in his left arm, every errant twitch of his body bringing a lighting strike of agony and a slight wince from his face. Despite this he continued to look, pictures darkening, sound subsiding, the world gradually coming into focus...

Silver...that beautiful and wild silver he knew all too well.

"Haihane-san."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	8. Calculations

Hello one and all! Been busy? Having fun? Well let me tell you I really liked writing this chapter. When I first started I was wondering what I was going to do with it, it started awkwardly and bass ackwards but it kind of spawned on its own and in a surprisingly organic way it turned into a rather funny chapter. And as for my pop culture e-cookie references, there is one hidden within the story so lets see if you can get it. (Hint: Movie) Anyway enough with my babbling, without further ado please read, review, and most of all enjoy the newest chapter of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 8: Calculations  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_For just a moment Minato thought about why Sekirei had always entered his life from the sky..._

_It was quickly forgotten as he found himself being smothered beneath a cushioned sea of white and purple..._

Frankly the walk back from the hospital to the Inn had been a bit of a hassle in and of itself. After Haihane decided to grab hold of him and not let go Musubi and Akitsu thought it was only proper that they copy her actions, both of them grabbing onto either side of Minato with such suddenness and force that they all tumbled to the ground in a heap. This lead to the oh so 'unfortunate' situation of Minato being dog piled by the curvaceous and well endowed forms of three different women at once...it truly was a terrifying situation to watch. However it wasn't long before all three of the leapt off of him, his voice rising out in a pained shout as one of them pressed just a bit too hard on his injured arm.

After a few apologies, more from Haihane than necessary one might add, the three were off on their way back to Izumo Inn. However, just as with their crash landing reunion none of Minato's Sekirei wanted to be apart from their Ashikabi. This proved to be quite the problem when one of his arms was severely injured and he required a crutch to maintain his balance as he walked. With this in mind two of the three vied for a position on his one unoccupied side, Haihane shamelessly sliding herself against his arm as she asked how he was only to be roughly pushed away by Akitsu who would do her best to press her breasts into him and ask if he would like to be carried.

Meanwhile Musubi had staked a claim on his back, her arms cast around his neck as she held Minato close and pressed her impressive bust line into his back as they walked. The problem with this was the fact that for all of Musubi's good intentions she was still a bit shorter than Minato which resulted in her arms accidentally strangling him most of the way home. Between Haihane and Akitsu fighting for his arm and Musubi choking him was nearly every step Minato never had a chance to ask them to stop before they reached the gates of Izumo Inn.

Apparently the lessons of pain and punishment for breaking the rules of Izumo Inn had sunk in very deeply for the three Sekirei because in an instant they all separated from him, their gazes holding a deep sense of longing but horrid memories of pain still hovering in the back of their collective minds. For a brief moment Minato was relieved, not only could he breathe freely but since Akitsu and Haihane had been so focused on fighting over him they had more than once accidentally squeezed his injured arm causing a bolt of pain to shoot through his body.

This moment of peace was shattered almost the second it began as three dark shadows suddenly appeared on the ground below him...

"Onii-chan!"

"Minato-kun!"

"Husband!"

He barely had enough time to look up before he was harshly pushed to the ground, or rather the proper term would be that he was tackled. In an case Minato felt three distinct bodies on him, one of which he determined to be the young Kusano, her small body latching onto his leg as she hugged it tight. One of the other shapes he could make out to be Tsukiumi, the angry and violent Sekirei that had once tried to kill him apparently trying her best to smother him into his chest as she asked about his health and well being in her natural agitated tone. Finally the third body he couldn't quite recognize, instead the main things he could tell were that it was a woman, she was barely dressed in a slinky silk dress, and she was better endowed than even Musubi.

"Husband! Are you alright? Is your injury healing correctly?" Tsukiumi demanded, her body pulling away only slightly as she tried to look him in the eye.

"Onii-chan, Ku missed you!" Kusano cried, her head beginning to nuzzle into his thigh sending a variety of mixed messages to his mind…needless to say he felt rather dirty at that.

"I can finally see you up close without you almost being dead Minato-kun," the third woman spoke, her voice the embodiment of sensuality as she monopolized on Tsukiumi's slackened grip and pulled Minato's head into her bountiful bosom, "I'm Sekirei number 3, Kazehana and I'm all yours for life Minato-kun."

"R-Release my husband you shameless woman!" Tsukiumi shouted, her hands reaching out and grabbing Minato by the shoulders, pulling him out of Kazehana's grip and into her own embrace, "Minato is my Ashikabi and I am his one and only wife so I forbid him from winging you!"

"Oh? I didn't see you getting your wings after you attacked him," Kazehana replied without pausing a beat, her arms pulling Minato back into her chest as Tsukiumi growled in anger, "besides, it's up to Minato-kun if he wants me or not. What do you say Minato-kun, with me as your wife you can wake up to these every morning~"

"Ku too! Ku wants to be onii-chan's wife too!" Kusano shouted above them all, her arms tightening around Minato's leg as he her burrowed even harder into Minato's inner thigh.

"Sahashi-san..." a voice suddenly spoke up, a cold and utterly terrifying tone that had the potential to freeze the very fires of hell itself. Turning with a snap of their heads all six Sekirei and one human present looked to find the landlady Miya standing in the door way of the Inn with a broom in hand. Miya's hannya mask floated behind her silently, wisps of violet energy drifting from the ghastly mask as Miya spoke, "I am happy to see you are well but must I remind you that there are no indecent acts permitted in Izumo Inn."

"You're awfully uptight today Miya-chan," Kazehana chuckled, all of Minato's Sekirei and even Minato himself staring at the busty woman with undisguised shock, "did you wake up in the middle of a Takehito dream again?"

The hannya mask seemed to dissolve after that, shrinking into nothing but a microscopic speck...

Without warning the mask grew to radical proportions, the dark purple visage seeming to explode from behind her as it tripled its size in the blink of an eye. The pressure of the air around her became unbearable, drops of nervous sweat pouring from even those who were not the focus of her intense rage. Miya's own eyes seemed to fade into the shadows of her hair with only two glowing orbs of malicious purple shining from the depths of the murky black. With agonizing slowness Miya grabbed the handle of her broom, the cleaning instrument spinning around in her hands until it was held in a tense white knuckle grip, "Pun. Ish. Ment."

Kusano stared for a moment before she fainted on the spot, the pressure from Miya terrifying the young one into total unconsciousness without a single peep. However the other two atop Minato were nowhere near as lucky, whatever semblance of spines they might have had turned to jelly as their self preservation instincts kicked into high gear. In a blur of speed they leapt away from Minato, both of them turning around and running in the opposite direction of the dangerously furious purple haired woman. Despite how fast they were running it seemed to be a losing battle against the fair swordswoman, her launch from the porch bringing about a cloud of dust from the intensity of her speed. Before long all three of them vanished around a random street corner, Miya in hot pursuit as Tsukiumi yelled at Kazehana for her idiotic remark.

Despite the amusing scene Minato had long ago stopped listening, his mind tuning out everything after Kazehana's final flippant comment.

Takehito...

He remembered that name

That voice among the massive river of azure energy

Forever pulling him with an irresistible currant

A voice amidst the silent cerulean chaos

What it showed him

What it told him

The Sekirei Plan

What lay at the end of insanity

Without warning Minato was jolted out of his thoughts as he felt several arms wrap around his body, soft and delicate limbs grabbing hold of him with the utmost care and lifting him to his unsteady feet. Just as he was about to tumble back to the cement of the sidewalk he felt his one good arm wrap around slim shoulders, a feminine frame easily supporting his larger body as he turned to face the presence. Standing there with his arm over her shoulders like a human crutch was Haihane, the grey haired reaper holding him steady as Musubi gathered up the fallen Kusano and Akitsu grabbed his crutch and medicine from the hospital.

"Are you alright Minato?" Haihane asked, a mischievous smirk quirking the side of her lips as she spoke, "did that mean ol' Sekirei with the big tits hurt you?"

Despite the pain in his arm, the maelstrom of thoughts in his head, the visions of a shattered world...he couldn't help but smile. His cheeks pulled back in a kind and happy grin, teeth bared to the world from his joyous beaming as a resounding chuckle echoed from his throat. He also remembered them; he remembered that they were there in that cerulean tunnel. Each one of their faces flashing before his mind's eye in that never ending sea of azure, their smiling visages giving him hope, giving him a reason. He remembered that the voice had called them but a single thread...but he could make them grow, "I'm fine Haihane-chan, thank you."

Instantly a dark pink flush crossed Haihane's face, a warm blush rising to the surface as she heard the honorific he had given her name. Haihane-chan. Ever since they had met he had either called her Haihane or Haihane-san, a normal knee jerk reaction that someone would use to address a friend or relative. But this...it was almost as if she had traveled back to when they had first met. Her heart began to pound as heat poured throughout her body, fires building from the fluttering in her stomach only to reach every last nerve with a tidal wave of warmth. He had always had this effect on her but it never was this strong, her reaction never so raw and mouthwateringly addictive.

Without warning she found herself leaning in and pressing her lips to his own, his eyes shooting open in surprise as Haihane suddenly kissed him. In a burst of light Haihane's wings bloomed, the brilliant indigo blades slicing across the sky as she spread them wide, the power of her devotion doubling the wingspan and causing it to ignite with fuchsia fire. A soft pop sounded as Haihane disengaged the kiss, a small smile on her lips and blush on her cheeks as she whispered, "Good, I don't want them hurting MY husband."

For a moment Minato was slightly stunned by Haihane's actions, his lips still tingling from the kiss while Haihane's glorious violet wings refused to fade. For most people Haihane would be characterized as someone who is difficult to read, her narrow sanpaku eyes and lax demeanor dissuading any attempt to read her emotions at all. However, for all of his flaws Minato could read her like a book, the grey and lazy reaper bearing her soul to him with every smile, every blush, every glance. Looking at her it was easy for him to tell, warmth flooding his own heart and a smile crossing his lips as only one word sprang to his mind; love.

"That's not fair Haihane-san!" Musubi pouted, her loud voice shattering the warm moment between the two with the finesse of a two ton sledge hammer. Minato turned his head with a surprised look on his face upon realizing Musubi actually could sound annoyed while Haihane simply glowered, a hooded look sent to the heavy chested cherub while one eyebrow was sent twitching in annoyance, "Musubi is Minato-sama's wife too!"

"I also have to voice my objection," Akitsu said with simple neutrality, her presence behind Minato going completely unnoticed until she spoke and pressed her generous assets into his back, "as Minato-sama's one true wife I cannot let him associate with pussy cats as I find myself to be rather allergic."

"Can it chill chest," Haihane nearly growled, her head turning to face the ice maiden, "Minato can't be a husband to you, you can't even be winged by him."

For a moment a simmer of rage built up behind Akitsu's placid eyes before it was calmed, her voice colder than the ice she wielded as she responded, "Is that so? I believe I will prove you wrong by ascertaining a marriage license at this very moment and prove that I can and will be Minato-sama's wife."

Without even waiting for a response Akitsu turned on her heel and ran, her mind forgetting completely that she was still holding Minato's crutch and medicine as she raced for the nearest government office. For her part Haihane simply gaped at the retreating Akitsu, her wits abandoning her for a moment thus allowing the ice user a few precious seconds for a brilliant head start. With a shake of her head Haihane finally gathered herself back together, her peaking temper coming along with it as she growled, "Oh no you don't!"

Without warning Minato felt the support he had been given by Haihane drop out from under him, the grey haired reaper slipping from his side and racing up in a burst of speed so as to catch up with the fleeing Akitsu. This left Minato with nary a leg to stand on, his body quickly crumpling to the ground with just barely enough agility to keep himself from landing on his injured arm. With a swift roll he pushed himself on his back, hoping against hope that Musubi would see his plight and-

"Musubi won't lose Minato-sama! Musubi will marry him too!" Like that Musubi, complete with the still unconscious Kusano on her back, chased after the other two leaving Minato completely alone and prone on the sidewalk. Without a crutch, without assistance, and without any medicine to quell his rising headache Minato just sighed...at least it was a nice day out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minato had been lucky in one aspect of his day so far, even if it had been a bit sideways and double sided. After lying on the sidewalk for a several minutes and contemplating the strength of his one good arm in relation to pulling himself into Izumo Inn another border opened the door with a curious quirk of his eyebrow. Standing in the door was Kagari, the socially immaculate man with the silver hair glancing down at the dark haired and clumsy ronin in confusion, "Sahashi-san?"

Looking up Minato gave a soft smile, relief evident in his voice as he spoke, "Uh, hello Kagari-san...could you give me a hand?"

Kagari chuckled and shook his head, his legs carrying him out to where Minato lay on the ground, "I take it that the noise earlier was all part of your release from the hospital?"

Minato nodded, his uninjured arm gently pushing him into a sitting position with his arm held tight to his chest in its sling, "I really didn't expect any of this..."

Kagari chuckle as he crouched beside Minato, "What? Two women and a little girl pouncing on you the moment you get here on top of the three that already follow you around wherever you go?"

Minato shook his head with a sigh, his arm reaching up and gently wrapping around the other mans shoulders for support, "Don't say it like that, at this rate landlady-sama really WILL think I'm a sexual deviant."

With Minato's closed eyes he missed the sudden blush that spread over Kagari's face, his eyes snapping open the moment Minato's arm wrapped around his shoulder. A pulse of heat raced through his body from where Minato had touched him, bolts of electricity running down his spine as his heart began a thunderous racket in his chest. What...what in the world was this? Kagari turned slightly to glance at Minato out of the corner of his eyes...could...could he be-

No.

Kagari mentally shook his head to clear himself from the thoughts, that couldn't possibly happen. This Minato was just a weird and nervous second year ronin, there was no way that something like that could happen. Sure he had winged a number of other Sekirei, his skills as an Ashikabi would be multiplied many times over by that fact alone, but he couldn't be. No, not with his goofy nature, skinny body, surprisingly broad shoulders, kind eyes, warm and caring laughter...once again Kagari had to mentally shake his head.

"Kagari-san?" Minato suddenly spoke, the silver haired man turning to face Minato with a soft pink hue to his cheeks, "Are you alright? You look as if you're feeling ill."

Kagari was quick to shake his head, his eyes closing as the pink began to spread, "Thank you for your concern Minato-san but I am quite alright." For a moment Kagari's breath caught in his throat, his mind screaming out that he had just called Minato by his first name but he refused to believe it, he had to be hearing things.

A quick jerk later and Minato was back onto his feet, Kagari's strength surprising him but not for the least throwing him off as he spoke, "Thank you for this Kagari-san, you don't know how much this means to me."

Kagari's heart pounded again before he forced the emotion down, his voice as cool as a cucumber despite the storm raging inside, "It's no problem Minato-san." Somewhere deep inside the reaches of his mind he could hear himself screaming to stop calling Minato by his first name but it was quickly silenced, even if he wasn't hearing things then it was simple enough to explain that they were friends so it was natural to be on a first name basis with him. That didn't stop the whirlwind of flames that brewed within Kagari, every limping step causing Minato to give his shoulders a small squeeze and sending more fuel onto the fire in Kagari's gut.

Before long Minato and Kagari were inside the Inn, Minato trying his best to ignore the pain in his arm while Kagari tried his best to rid himself of the feeling inside, a small bead of sweat sliding down his cheek with the force of his concentration. "Um, Kagari-san, I have a small request if you could," Minato asked, his tone anxious as he spoke.

Kagari's heart leapt up into his throat, his cool composure nearly shattered by a small stutter in his voice, "W-What is it Minato-san?"

Minato gave Kagari an apologetic smile, a nervous chuckle escaping his awkwardly quirked lips, "Well...when I was in the hospital I was never able to take a proper bath and since I got back I've felt rather filthy."

Kagari's body froze, every part of his stopping on a dime as his voice became hoarse and choked, "Excuse me?"

Blood drained from Minato's face as he violently shook his head, Kagari's odd voice more than enough to tell him how the silver haired man had taken his request, "N-Nothing like that! I was wondering if you could help me walk to the bath! I can take care of everything from there!"

Somewhere in the back of his mind Kagari was slightly disappointed at the news...a small part of his imagination that was instantly strangled the moment it popped up, "O-Of course, no problem at all Minato-san."

From there the two men walked in complete awkward silence, neither one of them saying a word and they continued to avoid one another's line of sight despite their close proximity. At first they stopped in Minato's room to gather fresh clothes before heading to the bath, Minato leaning on the door frame and gaining some of his stability as he spoke, "Th-Thank you Kagari-san...um...I can handle it from here."

"Oh! Yeah, alright Minato-san," Kagari spoke, his eyes closed and his hands in his pockets as he turned his back to Minato. All the while Minato couldn't see the deep crimson blush on Kagari's cheeks, his 'cool' reaction helping to hide the embarrassment that covered his face, "Just yell if you need anything." For a brief moment Kagari thought of asking if Minato needed someone to wash his back but it was sharply silenced as he delivered a painful bite to his own lip and began stalking towards his own room.

Raising up one hand in a backward wave Kagari quietly walked off, his silent escape leaving Minato to wonder why Kagari seemed so off...

~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was back, oh joyous and lovely day he was back!

He looked even cuter than before, that innocent and charming smile which warmed the heart, that silky soft pitch black hair that just begged to be combed by her nimble fingers...that godly bulge she saw in his pants whenever one of THEM pressed their chest into him. She shivered as her fingers danced across the keyboard before her, every screen containing a different image, hundreds of thousands of electric eyes watching from everywhere, seeing everything, and all focused on him. As he walked, as he talked, as he moved she could see it all...even that dark and bloody night.

Without warning her hand balled into a tight fist, as her teeth grit against one another in anger. In the corner of the shot was that grey haired one, the very same 104 that had nearly killed him! 104 had nearly taken him away before she could properly experiment with him! Injustice! Inhumanity! Inconceivable!

But...as her curled hand began to relax she remembered that 104 wasn't the problem, she might have delivered the blow but there was someone even more responsible to blame. She had seen the truth of that night, her fingers making short work of transferring her to another security camera in a different sector. It was Mikogami, his body leaning in and preparing to wing another Sekirei...a young woman, beaten and unconscious as bright wings of light burst from her back. He had forced her, utterly and completely destroyed her so he could claim her...it was sickening. She was a pervert, she loved to play the bondage and reluctance game now and then, but there were limits and he had crossed them more times than she could count.

Shaking her head she tried to ward off her anger, her analytic and powerful brain recognizing an even larger and more dangerous predator in this crazy forest. Her fingers became a blur as Mikogami disappeared, his visage replaced with a shot of Higa from one of his own security cameras. His calm and disinterested gaze was looking down upon the Sekirei before him, disgust in his eyes as she continued to talk...she seemed to be pleading. With a flare of his nostrils he turned, walking away as two large and menacing Sekirei began to close in...she couldn't watch as she minimized the screen. He was one with no heart, only a cold core that cared for himself. Caring only about how many bodies he would have to climb before he would really reach the top...

Higa had nearly had used HIS body as another stepping stone...

She was getting much too far off track with all of this; this was supposed to be a joyous day not a depressing one!

He was back, he might be hurt be he was back and that was all that mattered to her. Her smooth wet tongue slid over her peach colored lips, her eyes watching as he tried his best to walk down the street with those three ignorant harpies crawling all over him. If she were there...oh the things she would do to help him. A sultry purr rose in her throat but she cut it off with a nip on the tip of her tongue...there would be plenty of time for that experiment, right now he was closing in.

Those three unwinged ones that had grown attached to him...ah, lovely Kaze-tan, she was so lucky! Able to go out, find him whenever she chose, feel his body against her own. When Kaze-tan had visited her in the middle of the night and told her about that beautiful dark haired man she could barely contain herself, her body alight with fire at the mere thought of him. Sure she had seen him through the gaze of her electric eye but never face to face, skin to skin, eye to eye...it was almost too much to bear!

Shaking free of her distractions she watched as Kaze-tan said something stupid again, Miya-tan getting furious with her and proceeding to chase Kaze-tan and number 9 all over town. It was quite amusing how Miya-tan played with them, allowing them to think that they could gain some distance only to find her nipping at their heels in seconds.

All semblance of good mood dissolved as she watched. THEY had grabbed hold of him again, 104 even had the gall to kiss him! Those burning indigo wings spread like an open challenge, the taunting bloody scarlet cape of a matador held before the eyes of an enraged and wounded bull.

It was by sheer luck, hers of course, that the three of them sprang away without any notice, Minato falling into the ground into a helpless heap. It was almost enough that she wanted to run out and grab him, take hold of him, bring him back for an experiment or two...but the consequences, oh the consequences sent her into a seizure of shivers. Instead she watched as Homura-tan went to pick him up, was that a blush on Homura-tans face? Why did he look so nervous around...an evil grin spread across her lips as she thought of it all. Perhaps he and Homura-tan were interested in an all meat sandwich...

Flashing burst from the screen on her right, her sultry day dreams shattered as she instantly turned her attention to the dimly lit square. It was THEM, and they were returning...all of them racing for the Inn with everything they had, all of them screaming, had they just noticed that they had forgotten him? Teeth ground in anger at the thought, how could you EVER forget him you despi-...wait...

Her glare vanished only to be quickly replaced with a wicked grin that threatened to split her head in two. Her fingers swam across the keyboard, nimble and dexterous digits writing line after line of numeric code in the blink of an eye. They were gone, every single one of them out of the house leaving only him and her, she finally had time! All at once she ran through hundreds of scenarios, calculations and numbers floating across the screen as she searched for the key to her final victory. At last, there it was...well within her calculations she could finally have him, she would finally get him right where she wanted him.

As the targeting system open up before her like Pandora's Box she knew that today was the day and nothing would stop her...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I am disappointed in you pussy cat," Akitsu said as she leapt from rooftop to roof top, her eye turned to the side as she watched Haihane keep up with her effortlessly, "I for one would never forget Minato-sama especially with him in that state.

Haihane's single visible eye glared at the icy brunette, her eyes deadly serious as she spoke, "And just which one of us took his medicine and crutch when he can't even move?"

"While I admit I am at fault for that your forgetfulness far outshines mine," Akitsu's tone was calm but just behind her eyes chilling ice seemed to grow.

"Stop fighting!" Musubi shouted, her quick movement and unbelievable stamina leading the pack as she called out, "We need to concentrate on finding Minato-sama!"

Haihane winced as Akitsu ever so slightly blushed, to be yelled at by the simple and innocent Musubi was an insult that their pride would never live down. But at the moment pride or any other lofty idea was only second in their minds, at the forefront was Minato and his-

Why was the sun suddenly getting brighter?

Looking up all three of them stared up in surprise at the bright yellow beam that descended upon them from the heavens, a massive wave of incredible destruction demolishing everything in its path before it struck the roof that they were on. It was only with their incredible grace and skill that they avoided the beam, clothes being singed or shredded by the beams mighty onslaught. However that was not the end, nowhere near it. Instead they found themselves trapped in the middle of a battle torn war zone, their bodies dodging left and right as they avoided beam after beam, thunderbolts of the gods descending from on high with full intent to cook them alive.

Over and over again they leapt from rooftop to rooftop, each beam seeming to jump ahead of them, turning them...it was corralling them. Haihane's eyes snapped open as she caught sight of the Inn in the distance, a massive golden ray crashing in her way to block the building from view. With a few quick back steps the beam followed her, turning her on her heel and sending her to chase after the other two. Was this its goal? To keep them from the Inn? But why...

A cold realization jolted through Haihane's body as she poured whatever energy she could into her legs, her speed increasing dramatically as she caught up to the other two. A glance to the side and Haihane could see that Akitsu had come to the same conclusion she did, they were being led away from the Inn and far away from Minato...this was definitely bad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minato let loose a relaxed sigh as he sunk into the bathtub, his injured arm lying on the rim of the fine porcelain basin. It really was a relief to finally be able to take a bath after so long in a hospital. Granted he had the feeling he was cleaned in one way or another by nurses but...a slight shiver raced down his spine as his face blushed deeply, he really didn't want to think of that possibility. With a shake of his head the image vanished, his body taking the chance to sink further into the warm relaxing waters that surrounded him. Who would have known that a bath could be so damn relaxing? It certainly took his mind off that dream he had...oh dammit.

With a sigh Minato sunk even further into the water, so much that the only remaining things resting above the steaming liquid was the top portion of his head and his still injured arm. That dream of his...he knew it wasn't something that could be taken lightly at all. It had shown so many things, spoke so much information that almost no one could know. That and the ending...that horrible, horrible ending. He remembered as the image of the world split in half, the screams of billions of lives being extinguished in a second...it was terrifying.

Then there was that name, Takehito. What was it that is said again? Oh yeah, tell Takami she smokes too much. Minato chuckled a bit as he glanced at his deep purple arm, fingers unconsciously curling into a lose fist before a spark of pain shot through him and caused it to relax. He wondered where that impulse had come from when he had talked to his mother...his courage when he spoke to her was another mystery as well. He knew he was still apprehensive about approaching his mother, not to mention absolutely terrified of her temper, but for some reason he felt a need to plead his case, to prove his point...to show some bit of spine even if it was a small chip from his nonexistent vertebrae.

Well whatever the case was he was guessing it was likely a onetime thing. Maybe next time he really should just let her say what she wants and not talk back...no, after that he knew he couldn't. He still had a goal he not only wanted but needed to attain, as he had said back in the darkness of that void it was no longer a choice. That didn't negate the ice water running through his veins as he thought of his mother's potential revenge, her temper having a tendency to get the better of her when she thought she was insulted...

But for right now he could relax, it had been a long and arduous day and he deserved a bit of a rest from it all. His eyes closed as he sat up in the tub once again, his upper body rising above the waterline as he reclined against the side of the bath. A slight gust of air brushed past his body making him shiver slightly but it was quick to pass, the natural draftiness of the bath a bit annoying but very ignorable. The scent from the bath was wonderful, the aroma of fresh water and the aged wood that surrounded the area sending him deeper into his relaxation...was that a foot?

Minato's eyes quickly snapped open, the first sight that he registered being that of a finely sculpted and beautiful leg. The leg itself had slipped itself into the bath along with him, small toes dragging themselves along his calf before it came to rest on the bottom of the heated basin. Turning his head to look up his heart began to pound, eyes widening to the size of saucers as a thin trickle of blood slid from his nose.

Standing beside the tub with a single foot in it was a woman, beautiful red hair cascaded down around her shoulders which only highlighted the paleness of her soft white skin. Perched atop her scarlet haired head was a pair of glasses, the light capturing lenses lifted allowing Minato to see the warm brown eyes beneath. Her form was slender and curved, large breasts perched on her chest as her hips flared sensuously.

However it was the fact that she was completely naked that left him in a slightly dazed panic, "W-Who are you?"

The woman declined to speak, instead she smoothly dipped another daintily leg into the bath, her body facing him as she ever so gracefully slid herself beneath the water. Once in the water the woman smirked slightly, her body leaning forward as she spoke, "Hm...you are Minato right?"

If he had been in any other condition he would have long ago leapt out of the bath and run but given his damaged arm and the inability of his legs to reliably work on him he was stranded in a river without a paddle, "Y-Yes...um...y-you are?"

The woman smirked, her body sliding onto all fours as she started to crawl toward Minato, "Matsu."

"M-M-Matsu-san," Minato stuttered, his body reacting against his wishes as the woman drew her naked body against his own, "th-this is very inappropriate!"

Matsu giggled slightly, her body coming to rest flush against his own as she whispered, "I don't mind Mina-tan...I don't mind a lot of things."

Minato swallowed deeply, his face a pure crimson blush as he rapidly shook his head, "M-Matsu-san! I-I-I think you should leave!"

"Oh?" Matsu said with a sly smirk, her body grinding against his drawing a surprised gasp from Minato, "it certainly doesn't feel like you do..."

"M-Matsu-san," Minato groaned, his mind trying it's best to focus anywhere but his current position, "Please...th-this...isn't right..."

"Oh Mina-tan," Matsu purred, her tongue sliding over wet lips as she leaned in close, "I'm going to enjoy experimenting with you."

Without warning Matsu leaned forward, her lips pressing against his own which shocked his eyes open. With his eyes wide open he saw as bright wings of light burst from Matsu's back, shimmering chartreuse sprouting from her back and nearly filling the room with a soft golden glow...Matsu had finally been winged.

Slowly Matsu pulled away, her breath coming in soft pants as she spoke, "I am yours my Ashikabi, now and forever. Number 2 Matsu is forever yours."

"M-Matsu-san," Minato mumbled, his head a bit clouded from Matu's intense kiss, "You...still...need to leave...this is…inappropriate..."

Matsu giggled as he hand stroked along Minato's side, fingertips brushing something that made her smile go from coy to absolutely wicked, "No, no, Mina-tan. There's still much experimenting to do...we should get started right away..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_Toki Wo Tomare_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Homura grumbled to himself as he violently shook his head, what was all that about? Frustration tore away inside of him as he tried his very best to ignore the quiet burn inside of his body, that small and annoying flame unendingly wearing at his nerves. Was he really reacting to Minato? That had to be impossible, there was no way he could react to a male! But...then again Takami had mentioned that he was a very unique Sekirei so it was very possible...

Slapping himself in the forehead with the heel of his palm his thoughts jolted away, no, he just would not accept that. This was some sort of fluke, it just had to be something that could easily be ignored and pushed to the back burner while he found his real Ashikabi. With a silent nod of his head Homura agreed with this train of thought, his feet heading on a path for his room so he could grab his mask and prepare for another day of protecting the unwinged ones.

KNOCK KNOCK

Homura jumped slightly at the sudden pounding on the front door, a powerful fist slamming over and over again against the thick wooden panel. With a shrug he went to the door, his hand grabbing onto the handle and opening it with his normal cool and collected self, "Hello? May I help you?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That little BASTARD!

When did that little runt start to grow a spine? Takami growled to herself as another wreath of smoke burst from her lips, a thick stream of ash drifting in her wake as she thought of Minato's words. He had been rather uppity to her, something that she had never even seen before. Even when he was a baby he was quiet and obedient so why now? When did this shit start? And when the fuck did he care about her smoking? The last one that moaned about that was Takehito, his fucked up and creepy hannya mask meeting her demonic visage more than once over the issue.

Whatever, that little runt wanted to play this game then...

With a sigh she remembered that he didn't say play. He had said end, he said that he wanted to end the game. She didn't know whether it was to win or to stop it completely, whichever one she...she liked the idea. With a snort a puff of smoke poured from her nose, Minaka and his insanity was costing lives and breaking hearts for hundreds of people and Sekirei and...there was also something about the plan that he refused to divulge, something he never told her about.

He had never told her how this mad game would end.

For some reason that frightened her more than she would ever let anyone know.

Sighing she shook her head, fingers expertly plucking the finished cigarette from her lips before tossing it into one of the hospitals many sinks, if that was what Minato wanted to do then she supposed she could support him. She was his mother, whether she showed it enough or not she loved him with every ounce of her shriveled black heart. Despite her love though she had little confidence in her son, his spinelessness fucking him over more than once because of his lack of drive. Yet, there was something in his eyes when they spoke that she hadn't seen before. Even when he struck out and moved to the city so he could enter one of the most prestigious colleges in the nation she didn't see it.

It might have lasted for only a second but it was the raw burn of determination.

With a sigh she reminded herself that she was also still his mother. She hated to see him hurt, she hated to see him sad...and that wound. Somehow, someway she would...she would have to make up for that and for not warning him about this crazy plan. Her fingers reached into her breast pocket and pulled out another cigarette, whatever help Minato needed she would see that he got it. As they say, nothing is more powerful than a mother's love...

But that didn't mean the little fucker was off scot-free for pissing her off like he did.

A sickening smile crossed her lips as she pulled her phone from her pocket, a single thumb flipping it open and calling a number from her speed dial directory. If he wanted to fuck with her mentally then why not show him a bit of motherly love and justice by doing the same, "Yukari? Yes it's me, guess who just got released from the hospital..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My name is Sahashi Yukari and I heard my idiot onii-chan just got out of the hospital," Yukari spoke, her arms crossed over her chest as she spoke to the rather handsome man before her, "is he here yet?"

Kagari barely had enough time to speak before she was looking around him and inspecting the inside of the Inn, "Yes...he should be down the hall and the last door on the left bu-"

The second those words left Kagari's lips Yukari had bolted into the house, her jacket and skirt flying in the wind that she generated from her incredible movement, "Thank you!"

Kagari stared for a moment before he shrugged, "Maybe I should have mentioned that the door was for the bath..."

"Kagari! Where's Minato!"

"Minato-sama, where are you!"

"Have you seen where Minato-sama is?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_Toki Wo Tomare~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Matsu-san!" Minato yelped as his one good hand grabbed onto the edge of the tub, the strength of his arm surprising as he was able to wrench himself from beneath Matsu and onto the cold floor. He winced as a wave of intense pain rose throughout his nerves, his left arm trapped beneath his body while his other valiantly tried to drag himself away.

"Come back Mina-tan," Matsu purred, her hand reaching out to grab one of Minato's retreating legs, "we still need to have the bath time encounter experiment."

With just a bit of luck and another push Minato succeeded in sliding across the floor and away from Matsu, his left arm pulling free as he rolled onto his back in a hiss of agony. Despite the pain he continued to move for all of his worth towards the exit of the bath, his one arm and weak legs dragging him with all of his might at Matsu rose from the bath, "Ooo, the hard to get experiment Mina-tan? I like it~"

He just needed to get to the door, perhaps Kagari could help him with this sex crazed woman that was forcing herself...why was he running again? Shaking his head he kept moving, his goal moving closer and closer with every pull.

Without warning a heavy weight dropped itself in his lap, hot wet skin pressing against his own as he whipped around to face a grinning Matsu. Unlike before in the bath Matsu's glasses had fallen down to cover her eyes, a perverted gleam shining off the large glass discs as she throatily chuckled, "Ah Mina-tan you're fun, maybe that's why I wanted you to be my Ashikabi...but enough games! Time for Mina-tan and this Matsu to experiment!"

"Onii-chan where are-"

Without warning the door to the bath opened, the wafting cold breeze spilling over the both of them as a young woman entered the room. However she was only a single step into the room before she froze, her eyes falling upon Minato and Matsu sitting in a rather precarious position only a foot away. Every muscle in Yukari's being locked up at once as she stared at her brother and some random woman, embarrassment and rage filling her body as he face flushed a brilliant bright red.

"Yukari!" Minato shouted, his hands quickly covering himself and Matsu the best he could. However this only served to press his good hand into Matsu's breasts, her body shivering before she wrapped her arms around him and held close.

"Is this your sister Mina-tan?" Matsu spoke, her follow up not even waiting for his reply before it began, "I suppose this Matsu would be interested to be part of a little incest threesome experiment, it would provide PLENTY of good data..."

"Minato, you in here?"

"Minato-sama! You are alright!"

"Minato-sama, what are you doing in the bath with a naked woman?"

Without warning three women appeared behind Yukari, Haihane, Musubi, and Akitsu all peering over the shoulder of the smaller girl at the scene before them. All three of them had equally damaged clothing; Musubi's altered miko garb was little more than pink and white shreds that clung to her body with the smallest hair lines of thread. Akitsu's kimono had been ruined, the soft cream colored cloth bearing numerous holes and tears in the fabric as well as a few fresh scorch marks. Haihane's tattered kimono was almost gone, the pitch black garment reduced to nearly nothing as her damaged bandages did their best to preserve her modesty.

However their lack of clothing was the farthest thing from their mind, instead their attention was focused completely on the fact that a naked Matsu was sitting in a naked Minato's lap.

"Minato...who is this woman?" Haihane asked with a guttural growl, her body starting to quake with rage as she glared down the glasses wearing Sekirei.

"Minato-sama, Musubi thought Minato-sama didn't like anyone bathing with him! Why is she here bathing with you Minato-sama?" Musubi spoke, her voice filled with despair as a pink aura of sorrowful rage began to build around her.

"I must protest to this Minato-sama," Akitsu spoke, the air around her instantly condensing into an icy fog as she spoke, "as my rightful husband I forbid you from having intercourse with this woman before you have felt my naked touch."

"Ku, ku, ku," Matsu chuckled, her glasses gleaming with dark intent as she spoke, "I see...I was certain the laser would have kept you occupied longer but it looks like you beat my calculations by five minutes and thirteen seconds. not that it matters." With a cocky and wicked grin Matsu loosened her hold on Minato and faced them all, "This Matsu officially belongs to Mina-tan."

And thus were the floodgates of hell were opened...

Haihane instantly pounced on Matsu, her full body tackle knocking the perverted glasses-wearer off of their shared Ashikabi. Akitsu was quick to skirt around Yukari, her presence in the steaming bath creating snow from steam while every step left a frozen footprint on the wet ground. Musubi set Kusano down before she pushed past Yukari, tears in her eyes as she followed the other two so she could help teach the 'lesson' to the Sekirei who had made them fear for their lives and make their Minato-sama so uncomfortable.

As a chaotic three on one battle erupted Minato turned from the spectacle to his sister, his face turning pale as he saw that oh so familiar demonic visage cover her features, "Onii-chaaaaaaaaaan!"

For the next two seconds that he was conscious he debated the benefits of running away and joining a shrine…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN: I thank you for reading and I do hope you review but there is something I would like to ask all of you out there who like this story. As has been stated in the Sekirei canon the more Sekirei an Ashikabi acquires the more Sekirei are going to be drawn to that Ashikabi. With that being the case do you think I should include more Sekirei than the canon girls + Haihane + Akitsu which I have been working with or should I stick with what I've got? And if you think there should be more, what Sekirei would be an interesting mix into the fold? (Note inside a note: yes Uzume is already winged.) This is just a question to test the waters to see what you think so if you could run your thoughts by me I'd really appreciate it. Other than that, thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!

Edit: Seeing as I have gotten a HUGE amount of feed back on this question, I have put up a poll on my profile page. I'm still not sure about adding another Sekirei but this will tell me who would get the most votes in the situation that I do. Thanks and have a good one!


	9. Are You Sure?

Hello one and all! How are you? Me, I'm so fan-freaking-tastic that I can barely contain myself! This next coming week is Spring Break for my University and I finally get to have a real vacation for the first time in years! Granted that means I won't update for the next week but trust me when I say I will make it up to all of you in spades! I promise from the bottom of my little Sekirei loving heart. I am sorry about the lack of updates that will occur in the next seven days but I'd rather be sane and able to give you this story instead of insane and locked up in a mental institution. Anyway enough with my babbling, without further ado please read, review, and most of all enjoy the newest chapter of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 9: Are You Sure?  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day was crisp and clear, the air slightly warmer than that night so long ago as Minato sat on the back porch of the old Izumo Inn. How long had it been? A month? Two? Whatever it was it almost seemed like an eternity since he had come in through the front gates, an injured Akitsu on his back with Haihane and Musubi trailed behind. He had barely stayed a week before he had to leave, a long and bloody night landing him in a silent and extensive coma.

And that dream...

Minato sighed as he looked down at his injured arm, the bruising long ago faded and the swelling reduced to where he looked mostly normal...except for the trio of scars that dressed the skin of his pale arm. From the top of his wrist to the bottom of his elbow were three long discolored patches along his skin, indents running along his flesh and telling the tale of his grievous wound. With a careful flex of his fingers he formed a loose fist, a dull ache being his reward as opposed to the lightning bolt of agony which had affected him only a short while ago.

To everyone at the M.B.I. hospital he seemed to be a walking miracle, his recovery rate and the speed at which he was regaining his strength astounding to say the least. It even came to a point that his mother was surprised at his progress, her readjusted estimations giving him roughly another half of a week before his rehabilitation was complete and all of the strength and dexterity he could ever hope to come out of that arm would come to pass.

It was a sort of bitter sweet victory for Minato, granted it was much better now that he could actually move on his own and he didn't have a shooting pain every time he tried to grab hold of something but, as odd as it sounded, he was going to miss seeing his mother every other day. She had always been the one that demanded he be put in her care, to yell at him when she thought he was over doing himself, to criticize him when she thought he was slacking off...okay maybe not all of the memories were things he could treasure but there were a few that he knew he would never forget...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Back again eh Minato?" Takami smirked, her toothy grin clamped upon the end of a half used cigarette, "how's it feeling this time?"

Minato held up his arm and clenched his hand into a fist, his fingers flowing effortlessly as a small wince of pace dashed across his features. Given that he had left the hospital nearly screaming in agony every time he gave someone a thumbs up it was definitely a step in the right direction.

"Well I'll be damned," Takami chuckled, her body flopping down on her swiveling stool before she turned and began writing on the chart on her desk, "looks like you're gonna heal up just fine Minato...but you're slacking on your exercises aren't you?"

"No Kaa-chan," Minato mumbled, the odd habit of referring to her with an affectionate title sticking after the first couple of visits, "I've been working on them every morning before I go to cram school and every night before I go to bed."

A soft snerk rose from Takami, the completed chart in her hands as she slid her pen into her front breast pocket, "I'm sure you get plenty of exercise with that hand, just not as much as you used to with all of those Sekirei around eh?"

Minato's face blushed a beat red, his voice caught in his throat as his head violently shook back and forth to dispute the white haired woman's claim. Certainly it was no surprise that all of the girls had straight out demanded to sleep with him but Miya's rule was steadfast and strong...until one of them was feeling gutsy. This would lead to one sneaking into his room, then another, and another, until finally he found himself crushed beneath the weight of seven different women as he awoke the next morning. This typically ended when Miya would enter the room, a wooden spoon at the ready as she gave them their customary 'wakeup' routine.

"N-No! Nothing like that!" Minato stuttered as he finally regained his voice, both hands up and waving madly in denial.

"Sureeee," Takami chuckled, a deep puff of her cigarette giving her resonating word an eerie touch of black smoke, "Whatever you say Minato. But I do have to ask, how is little Yukari-chan doing?" Seeing Minato's face go from blood red to sheet white caused her sadistic grin to grow, oh the joys of being a mother and being able to fuck with your kids like no tomorrow.

"Sh-She is doing well," Minato stuttered, a slightly hard look being cast toward Takami before he looked down and focused on his hand, "she still comes by _every day_ just like you asked her to."

"Who me?" Takami asked with an innocent voice, the shark like smile on her lips and sharp eyes revealing the full truth, "I'm hurt that you would say that Minato. It's my motherly duty to make sure all of my children are safe and taken care of. Just because the stronger one of my children has to look over the weaker one doesn't mean I'm not still concerned with her health."

Minato felt a little bit of tension rise up in the back of his neck but he pushed it down, his mothers poking and prodding comments almost scientifically designed to rile the new sense of anger that he had developed, "Your concern for my 'health' almost made Yukari become a 'loose end' to the M.B.I. kaa-chan."

After Minato had finally woken up after Yukari's first visit with him she had interrogated him about how why he was living with so many women in the same house hold. It would have gone very smoothly with plenty of diversions and lies had Musubi not been on the other side of the room from Minato and blurted out the word Sekirei, something that only caused Yukari to turn up the heat and grill her brother for every last answer that she could get. Despite this Minato was able to skirt around an answer until she left, Minato nearly pushing Yukari out the door with his thanks and assurance that he would rest and heal up.

This only led to more questions, Yukari even going so far as to call Takami and ask about the people that called themselves Sekirei. It took Takami a full hour to get Yukari to forget about the subject...right up until the point she visited Minato the next day and caught a glimpse of Akitsu and Haihane sparring in the backyard. From that point on Yukari couldn't be kept from the truth, her observation of the girls using mystical and other worldly powers forcing Minato to tell her as much as he thought was safe...including the fact that their mother was one of the top researchers on the project.

That caused a hell of a fire storm with Takami, her own ammunition turned on her as the pride and strength she had installed into Yukari came back around in full force. It took Takami the better part of two hours to explain it all to Yukari, especially the part about being killed if she said anything about it, before Yukari decided to keep quiet for the time being.

Takami's teeth clenched into the butt of her cigarette but she kept her smile, that cold and slightly demonic grin that could stop a charging rhino in its tracks bared behind the smoldering stick, "You're getting better at those come backs Minato, you're making your mother proud."

Minato felt a tremor of fear race through him at his mother's tone, that ice cold voice of warning nearly as chilling as Akitsu's attacks. Yet, in some way Minato found a way to respond in a shaky voice, "Th-Thanks...I think."

Takami's smirk grew but she decided not to press the point, the fact that he son was actually willing to throw barbs her way was showing some progress from the perpetual coward that would buckle under the pressure of a grain of rice. Maybe she had raised him wrong when she tried to scare the living hell out of him? Maybe he did have the capacity to face pressure and win like the rest of the family did...

And maybe she would profess her undying love for Minaka after this examination was over.

Chuckling a bit Takami stood from her stool, Minato's chart tucked under arm as she looked at the boy on the exam table. Despite her sudden movement he just continued to look at his arm, testing its strength and what he could do without it beginning to hurt. His face was locked in deep concentration, a sort of half stubborn look that was peppered every so often by a wince of pain from his arm.

Really, did he have what it takes to do what he said he would?

She had no idea and if she had money to best she'd be honest and bet against him but...there was something that was changing in him, something that only a mother could see in their child. That slightly stern face, that determination to keep going despite the pain that kept striking him; for once he looked more like an adult than her child. The boy that had called her on the phone and told her how he had failed his entrance exam for the second time seemed to drift further and further away as time went on, this more determined and ballsy young man starting to take his place. If he kept up like this...

Well hell, she'd lose her bet by a landslide.

"Well your exam's over Minato," Takami sighed, the last little dregs of her cigarette puttering out before she plucked it from her lips and flicked it into the nearest sink, "Anything you want to ask your old kaa-chan or you just wanna up and go?"

Minato was quiet for a moment as he looked at his arm, those three fresh scars staring back at him as a mark of what had happened. Suddenly her turned up to face Takami, a soft smile on his face and those same old kind dark eyes looking at her from beneath his messy black bangs, "No just...thanks for helping me kaa-chan."

And there he was again, five years old all smiles and fucking sunshine. It was almost like the serious side he had been showing her had gone into hibernation and there was the little runt that she sent off into the world. One minute a growing man and the next an innocent child.

God he never did change did he?

"No problem…musuko," Takami muttered, her hand patting the top of his head, "kaa-chan's always here for you."

For a moment Minato was stunned, looking at his mother as she pointedly looked away. Suddenly his face burst with a bright grin, an odd touch of joy welling inside of him at the first tender moment with his mother in all the years he could remember. His mother had always been on the distant side, their interactions with one another being almost diametrically opposed in every way. She was harsh and he was soft, fire and water, dark and light...

"But don't you dare do anything stupid," Takami suddenly growled, her fist lightly rapping him on the head as she spoke, "I didn't spend fourteen hours in labor for you to die before me."

Minato chuckled as he idly rubbed the sore spot on his head, his smile never loosening as he spoke, "I wouldn't dream of it kaa-chan."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Takami would call from time to time since he had his last checkup with her but she was still a very busy person and in a way so was he.

Oh lord was he...

When he came back from that hellish ordeal he found four new faces ready to greet them, each with their own personalities, their likes, their dislikes, and a complete and utter devotion to him and him alone.

In his mind Minato could probably easily handle Musubi, Haihane, and Akitsu without too much trouble. They were a handful and they bickered between one another but he cared for them deeply, Musubi's innocence, Akitsu's intelligence, and Haihane's wit were things he looked forward to every day. He had learned how to stop arguments with them, how to split his attention between then, to be the best Ashikabi he could be…but then came everyone else.

Kazehana was by far the most obvious with her intents and desires, her wild actions stretching from trying to get him drunk with herself and the other two drinkers in the Inn, Haihane and Uzume, to wearing only an apron and greeting him as he came back from cram school, asking him if he wanted a bath, food, or her first. That ended with Minato passing out from blood loss and Kazehana being reprimanded by Miya with a heavy spoon. While it stung for quite a while it took only a few cups of sake and a kind smile from Minato to send her back into a wave of flirtatious interaction with her 'manly' beloved.

Matsu was only second due to her need to hide, her interactions with Minato isolated to the Inn and nowhere else. However, that little hiccup meant nothing in the face of what one would call a legendary pervert. She had more than once undressed in front of him, her naked body bared before his eyes in nothing but her underwear. In those moments she would approach him slowly, a perverted giggle pouring from her lips as she groped the air before her, her body itching to feel his skin beneath her touch again. That usually ended with him bolting in fear of Miya's wrath...though this did nothing to stop the amorous woman from sneaking into his room at night or trying to create another 'bath time encounter' experiment again.

Tsukiumi and Kusano tied for their devotion and drive to win Minato's eyes and heart, the sweet child and the tsundere woman both putting forth their best effort to gain some of Minato's already divided attention. Kusano, being the lucky one, was given a spot of honor next to Minato at meal times, her insistence to feed him more than once causing Tsukiumi to snap her chopsticks in agitation. Tsukiumi on the other hand would do her best to try to appeal toward Minato with her strength and drive to go to whatever lengths she could for him. Granted, she would never admit this was the case but somehow, someway she hoped to catch his eye. After all, she WAS his one and only wife so it was her right to get some attention once in a while.

While these four fought like no other for the attention of their Ashikabi the original three girls were facing catastrophic gaps in consideration from Minato on their own. Haihane missed being able to grab onto his arm and make a joke without any interference from the 'runt' or 'water balloons.' Musubi missed being able to have some sort of alone time with Minato-sama without being interrupted by the ever nosey Kaze-chan or Matsu-chan. Akitsu was getting rather annoyed that her request was constantly having to be postponed due to the continues interference from all the other outside sources that seemed to want the same thing.

It almost made him want to take up his earlier thought of running away to a temple...

But he couldn't' he knew he couldn't.

He cared about them, they supported him, they loved him and with every bit of his heart he loved them too. It just seemed too unfair for them...to have so many rely on one for so much...

"Yen for your thoughts?" A voice called out from behind him, his attention so focused on his thoughts that he hadn't heard anyone approach. His body gave a slight jolt in surprise, his head turning around and facing the person behind him. Standing there was the voluptuous and curvaceous Kazehana, that ever present small smirk crossing her lips as she sat down beside her Ashikabi.

Minato chuckled softly, scratching the back of his head as he turned to look at his hand, "It's nothing Kazehana-san."

"Please Minato-kun, call me Kaze-chan," Kazehana's smirk grew wider as Minato blushed, her heart picking up pace at his flushed cheeks, "and I've been around enough to know when someone is troubled."

Minato shook his head, his blush slowly fading away with the sudden movement, "It's really nothing Kazehana-san, I've just been thinking."

"Kaze-chan Minato-kun," Kazehana chuckled as she corrected him once again, "and what have you been thinking about?"

"The last week, since Yukari came here and I was able to meet you and the others," Minato started, his tone dipping slightly as he spoke, "since everyone was winged and we ended up living here at Izumo Inn."

"Oh?" Kazehana quirked an eyebrow, "and why would that have you so sad Minato-kun?"

Minato looked at Kazehana, prepared to tell her nothing was wrong once more but instead silence was his reply. He could see the seriousness in her eyes, the concern, the worry for her beloved Ashikabi. Minato turned his head away from Kazehana, his scarred arm slightly curling into a fist, "I've just been...worried."

"Worried about what Minato-kun?" Kazehana asked with genuine curiosity, an eyebrow quirked as she crossed her legs.

"That...I'm not enough," Minato muttered, his hand finally clenching fully before he allowed it to relax, "I barely have enough time to spend with one of you let alone all of you...I feel like I'm cheating you all out of a fair experience with a good Ashikabi instead of me."

Kazehana's heart pounded in her chest, a warm blush working its way up to her cheeks. He did look like 'that man,' she was sure enough about that the moment she had seen him up close and alive. But this voice, this heart, it was something she hadn't experienced before. He spoke with such genuine feelings and with a sincere caring soul that she felt fire begin to burn within, her smile nearly doubling in size as she thought of her choice in Ashikabi...she most certainly hadn't chosen wrong.

"Minato-kun," Kazehana spoke, Minato's attention drawn away from his arm and his sorrowful talk as he turned to face her. Before he could get a word out Minato felt Kazehana's hands on his cheeks, her lips meeting his own in a soft and endearing kiss. Her tongue slowly slipped between his own, twirling with his slick muscle. The heat of her body began to build, a raging inferno fanned by the flames of her heart until at last it burst, a cascade of dark purple wings exploded from her back in a glorious show of the wind mistress' love.

Pulling away from the kiss Kazehana smiled, Minato's dazed and confused drawing a giggle from her lips, "Minato, we are Sekirei. We love; it is what we are meant to do. We bond forever to the one we are destined for, red strings of fate tying together the purest of hearts." With a soft smile Kazehana's wings began to fade, her eyes gazing lovingly into Minato's, "And if a lot of Sekirei find someone with a big enough heart, they all want him to be theirs."

"But...it's unfair," he muttered, his face resembling a tomato at Kazehana's intense attention.

"What's fair and not fair is very relative Minato-kun," Kazehana could still see the indecision in Minato's eyes, the worry that something was wrong, that he was letting someone down. For a moment she cursed whatever parent had done this to their child in her head but she shook it off, her smile kind and gentle as she released Minato and returned to the seat beside him, "Would you like to hear a story Minato-kun?"

"S-Sure Kazehana-san," Minato mumbled, his blushing face and worried eyes turned to his right hand which had began doing exercises out of nervousness.

"Kaze-chan Minato-kun," Kazehana playfully chided, her body setting in as she began her tale, "A long time ago Minato-kun, I met a man who I loved very deeply. He had drive, ambition, and charisma. So much so that everyone who knew him could tell he was going places. I loved him deeply Minato-kun, that handsome face, those wonderful arms." Kazehana sighed, her head leaning back as she looked up into the sea of azure that was the sky, "but he held no love for me. Instead he saw me as nothing but an object, something he couldn't love, only play with. I told him my feelings Minato-kun, I spilled them out from my heart and hoped he would accept them. He didn't, so I left."

"Kazeha...Kaze-chan, I'm...I'm sorry," Minato whispered, his voice soft as he looked at his hand. The thrill of an electric shock jolted down Kazehana's spine, her entire body warming at the shivering sensation. That deep and masculine voice that he used when he whispered, his feelings on his sleeve as he did it...and when he whispered her name like a lover! God did she ever want to fuck him.

"What are you sorry for Minato-kun?" Kazehana asked with a slight hint of pink to her cheeks.

"I can't say I know what it feels like, to be rejected like that. But...I'm guessing it hurts. I'm just sorry you had to feel that pain," Minato said, his head turning from his scarred arm to face her, deep and expressive eyes offering every bit of condolence they could as he gently grinned, "No one as beautiful as you deserves to be treated as an object. You're a wonderful person Kazeha...er, Kaze-chan."

Kazehana's pulse rocketed upwards, her hear thundering in her chest as one thought raced through her head; she was going to tie him to a bed and ride him until his eyes crossed.

"It-It's alright Minato-kun," Kazehana spoke, clearing her throat softly as she tried to suppress her natural urges, "do you want to know why?" Minato looked genuinely clueless, a cute expression that made Kazehana giggle again, "It's because I got to meet you Minato-kun."

"M-Me?" Minato asked, his voice surprised at he looked at the beautiful buxom woman besides him.

Kazehana nodded, "You return my feelings Minato-kun, my pure and unsullied maiden's heart beats like a drum just for you. To me, it doesn't matter if I have to share you with a hundred others. Just so long as you can see me for me, not another face in the crowd, not some sort of object, just for my love Minato-kun."

"K-Kaze-chan?" Minato stuttered, his blush reaching new proportions as he shyly responded, "I could never see you as anything than you are. I could never see any of the Sekirei I have as anything but the wonderful, caring, and loving people that they are. But that's not my point-"

"Well it's mine Minato-kun," Kazehana swiftly interrupted, her body on edge as Minato's words attacked every one of her weak points. This boy was just too sweet for his own good; if she hadn't have stopped him he would have found himself missing a pair of pants in ten seconds, "My point is Minato-kun that no matter what other Sekirei you might have, as long as you pay attention to us and love us with all of your heart then I'm willing to bet that almost all of them share my feelings. You make our hearts throb and just by what you said now...you have more than enough of your own to share between all of us."

For a moment Minato looked down, thoughts traveling through his mind a mile a minute. It was almost adorable seeing his traditional values clashing with Kazehana's words in his head. "I...I still don't feel that it's right Kazeha...Kaze-chan. It feels like I'm being dishonest," he nervously muttered, "I don't want anyone to be hurt because of me."

Without warning Kazehana put her hand on his shoulder, a small smile on her lips as she spoke, "Why don't you ask us then Minato-kun? Ask us for our true feelings for you, I think then you'll see what I mean." With a sly and sultry wink Kazehana rose from her seat, her body gyrating and moving as she left the scene, "Bye Minato-kun~"

Ask them?

Was such a thing really possible?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yes Minato-sama?" Akitsu asked with a neutral look, her stiff and formal voice as monotone as ever s she spoke, "can I help you with something?"

"Well...it's...it's...well it's kind of complicated Akitsu-san," Minato started, his voice awkward and his eyes trying their very best to avoid Akitsu's.

"What is it Minato-sama?" Akitsu questioned, her head quirking ever so slightly in curiosity at her Ashikabi's reluctance and nervousness.

With a sigh Minato's hand scratched the back of his head, nervousness and a healthy amount of fear tinting his tone as he spoke, "Akitsu-san…with the number of Sekirei that I have it's been getting harder for me to spend any significant time with you or the others and…I feel like I'm betraying you. I just…I wanted to tell you that I hate feeling like I'm hurting all of you like this."

For a long moment Akitsu was silent, her face unchanged as she stepped a bit closer to Minato. In a slow and deliberate act Akitsu reached up with her arm, her two pale and immaculate hands gently grasping each of his shoulders before they roughly fisted into the soft cotton. Without warning Akitsu pulled hard, her body leaning up as his fell down, their lips meeting in a powerful and intense kiss. Akitsu's tongue force its way from her mouth, the slick organ pushing back Minato's and wrapping around his slick muscle in a dance of vibrant passion. Somewhere in the back of her head she felt a distinct tug on her heart, an insistent pull that grew stronger and stronger as time went on and their kiss grew deeper and more intense.

After several moments of her enthusiastic kiss Akitsu broke away, her face flushed with arousal but her expression still locked in a neutral stare, "Minato-sama, I won't lie and say that I enjoy being put up against all the others for your attention but you are the only one I ever want. You make my heart dance, you make me weak at the knees, and you make me want you to plow me so hard I lose my voice."

Minato invented a few new shades of red but Akistu continued, an almost invisible smirk on her lips as she spoke, "You are my world Minato-sama, it's only natural that a world needs to be shared."

"A-Are you su-" Minato began but he was cut off by another powerful kiss, Akitsu's frenzied pawing at his clothing and flesh making her intentions and feelings abundantly clear...

~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~

"What is it husband?" Tsukiumi said with a sidelong glance, a slight pinkish hue to her cheeks as she caught his dark expressive eyes, "Landlady-dono's one on one training session with me is in a few minutes."

"I...I just wanted to ask you something Tsukiumi," Minato smiled, his nervousness lessened by his 'discussion' with Akitsu. However, between Akitsu and Tsukiumi was an ocean of difference and he felt as though he had forgotten a paddle…and a boat.

"Well, please get on with it," Tsukiumi tapped her foot with impatience, an eyebrow quirked as she waited for his words.

With a small scrap of courage Minato nodded, his tone calm but tinged with deep regret as he spoke, "I...I feel that I'm not being fair to everyone with the number of Sekirei I have and I hate feeling like I'm hurting you like this Tsukiumi."

"Hmph, is that all?" Tsukiumi grunted, her head shaking side to side sending her cascading blond hair in a slow swaying motion, "As your one and only lawful wife I am not happy with your indiscretions...but, in olden times a powerful man…n-needed his share of c-concubines to prove his power did he not?"

"Tsukiumi?" Minato asked confused, her arms crossing tighter as she turned away in a huff.

"I-I-I'm saying th-that as l-long as you c-care for m-me and t-take me into y-your embrace then I-I don't c-care!" Tsukiumi's face was bright neon red, her temper flaring as she stomped her foot angrily, "Look what you made me say you idiot!"

With a swift turn Tsukiumi faced away from Minato, her hair gently fluttering from the rapid spin. Minato looked at the woman before him, her raging nature doing its best to hide the emotions that she held inside. She did her best to hide what she felt on the inside and in doing so she over compensated in a…rather frightening way. But despite this Tsukiumi still cared for him, she gave her 'consent' as a Sekirei and his 'one and only wife.' Because of this he went against his better judgment and walked forward quietly, his throat swallowing nervously as he took one of the biggest gambles of his life and wrapped his arms around Tsukiumi's waist.

The woman in his arms stiffened, her body going completely rigid simply at his touch. For a moment he thought she was going to throw him off, a tidal wave of water crashing into him and sending him to a water logged death...instead she slowly relaxed, her body slightly leaning against his own as she softly whispered, "Y-You idiot..."

~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Musubi's here Minato-sama!"

"Ku ku ku, this Matsu is too Mina-tan!"

For a moment Minato wondered how Musubi had wandered herself into Matsu's room, the secret compartment at the end of the hall being completely unknown to Minato until Matsu had forced herself upon him in the bath. However that was quickly set to the back of his mind at the fact that Matsu, the woman who was almost fanatically trying to get into his pants, leered at him like a starving dog would eye a juicy steak, "Erm, hello Musubi-san, Matsu-san...I have a question I want to ask both of you if you have the time."

"Oooo Mina-tan, a threesome right here?" Matsu purred, her tongue licking her lips as undisguised want filled her eyes, "I think that's a lovely idea!"

"What's a threesome?" Musubi questioned, her head tilted to the side innocently as a small smile crossed her lips.

"Wh-What? N-No!" Minato shouted, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his body, "I-It has nothing to do with anything like that!"

"Aww..." Matsu pouted but she was quick to let it go, instead curiosity filling her as she addressed her Ashikabi, "Then what did you come here for Mina-tan?"

"I...I've been thinking lately," Minato muttered, his nervous tic reappearing again as he scratched the back of his head, "I...I don't feel it's right what I'm doing to all of you. I have all of these Sekirei and I can't devote the time you each deserve to you. I hate feeling like I'm hurting either of you because of all of this..."

"What do you mean Minato-sama?" Musubi asked in confusion, her unanswered question forgotten as she tried to figure out the reason for Minato's visit.

Before Minato got a chance to speak Matsu spoke for him, for once her gaze not oozing with sexual perversion but instead sheer amusement, "Musu-tan, Mina-tan thinks he's hurting us because he has winged so many Sekirei

"But that's silly Minato-sama," Musubi spoke before he even had a chance to respond, her soft and innocent smile warming his heart, "Musubi doesn't care how many Sekirei Minato-sama wings, as long as Minato-sama and Musubi can stay together forever then Musubi doesn't care!"

"As for me Mina-tan," Matsu chuckled, the gleam in her glasses catching the rays of light in just the right way as she spoke, "let's perform a special experiment so I can show you just how much I don't care."

In seconds he was pressed between two sets of massive breasts, Matsu on one side while Musubi took the other, and for once he didn't feel like trying to break free from it...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minato's talk with Kusano was easy, the young child not understanding what was wrong in the least. Instead of competing she saw the others as sisters, all of them being Minato's wives and having a very happy life like that. In a way it was refreshing but slightly odd to hear a child so at peace with so many women hovering around a single man. It was only after she confirmed that she would be one of those same women when she grew up that Minato had to leave, a chill in his bones as he thought of the implications of that particular occurrence.

But as it was, when he had spoken to them all, they had all said the same thing. They loved him and only him, they wanted to be by his side no matter what...except one.

It only took him a moment to pick out the wild silver main of Haihane, her unnatural hair color sticking out against the brown back at her back. The slim and curvy reaper had set herself in the backyard of the Inn, her back to the old tree where Minato had first met Kusano. She seemed to be deeply pulled into thought but this was not something that he could wait for or take lightly at all. He needed to know. He walked toward her as he prepared to ask the question on his mind...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_Toki Wo Tomare_~~~~~~~~~~~

A hollow thunk echoed out with a steady rhythm, the sound of something hard hitting the unmatched strength of aged wood. Sure enough, sitting beneath the shade of the leaves above her head was the silver haired reaper Haihane. By her side rested her tempered steel gauntlets letting her slim and delicate bandaged hands free to settle atop her bent knees.

Why?

Why did it always end with some sort of disaster?

In some sort of problem that had no solution?

Slowly, from the bottom of her vision a grey bandaged hand rose, nimble fingers wrapped in thin cotton covering the emerald shine from above...

Why was it always so wrong?

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_CRASH!_**

The sound of thunder echoed across the land, the metallic ring of steel against steel shattering the silence of the cozy Izumo Inn. Blades erupted in a shower of sparks, the smell of hot oil filling the air with every contact. Every stroke was a taunt in the face of death, every slash another curse towards the rivers of hell. Five, foot-long claws struck down with the force of a two ton hammer, a single blade of steel meeting it head on and stopping without an ounce of effort behind the blow.

This battle raged in the small backyard of Izumo Inn, Haihane matching up against Miya with all of the force and speed at her disposal. Her breaths came in short pants and gasps, her body working overtime to somehow catch the purple haired woman off guard, to somehow slip behind her defenses and find her smallest weakness. As it was that goal seemed impossible, the sword wielding landlady breathing just as calmly as she had when they first began. Her blade only showed the barest marks of their sparring session and not a drop of sweat came down her brow. It was so...exciting!

Haihane could feel the fire of battle burn within her, her movements becoming faster, her strikes more accurate and powerful. She loved this, the rush of battle, the fight to the very bitter end! A wicked smile began to grow on her face, her one visible eye spreading wide as she thought of her victory. They would fight and fight and fight and fight and in the end she would spill the blood! She would win! She would have the tro-

The salty taste of blood filled her mouth as her teeth clenched upon her bottom lip, her body leaping back and disengaging her opponent with one last glancing swipe. A quick shake of her head threw her insane smile from her lips, her eyes clenching shut as she pressed her padded palm to her forehead. She couldn't...no...she wouldn't sink into that again...never again...

"Haihane-san," Miya quietly spoke, her blade spinning in her hands before it was easily thrust into its wooden sheath, "I believe this is a good place to stop today's training."

"No, wait," Haihane muttered, her head jerking back from her palm as she lowered into a fighting stance, fingers splayed wide in a deadly display, "I can still continue, just a few more rounds."

Miya glanced at Haihane for a moment, her head shaking as she spoke, "No, I do not think any more training will benefit you now."

With a disappointed sigh Haihane settled into her natural stance, her eyes looking downcast as she spoke, "I suppose I could rest up for the day..."

"No," Miya interrupted, her body turning sharply from the grey reaper as she continued her speech, "I mean there is nothing more I can teach you Haihane-san. You can no longer learn from me because I can no longer grow stronger."

"What!" Haihane barked, anger easily detectable in her tone, "I don't believe that, I can get stronger!"

"And to what end Haihane-san?" Miya asked, a casual glance cast over her shoulder before shaking her head and continuing her stroll towards the Inn, "You are a skilled fighter but it is your hesitance that is your weakness. If you lack conviction then the Sekirei Plan will show you no mercy at its end-"

"I don't lack conviction!" Haihane growled, her finger blades tensing and clicking against one another in vicious anticipation, "and I will never hesitate for Minato!"

"Then why did you stop?" Miya asked simply, her pace never slowed as she continued to walk, "If you cannot put forth all of your will into a spar then how can Sahashi-san rely on you in times of greater need?"

"I-I," Haihane stuttered, taken aback by the question before she forced out a strong reply, "I know Minato can count on me when things get tough!"

"And who are you trying to convince Haihane-san?" Miya's voice was slightly cold, her sandals slipping from her feet as she took a step inside the Inn, "Me or you? You cannot afford to be hesitant in a situation. You must do whatever it is you can to protect those whom you care about, the ones that you love."

Haihane could only watch at Miya left, the kind landlady stopping only to inform Tsukiumi that her one on one special training would need to be postponed...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She would.

She knew she would.

It was just...

In the back of her mind she could see the terror in his eyes as he lay on the ground, the soft smile on his lips doing nothing to hide the fear that tore through his body. Minato, his arm in tatters from her misguided attack...clenching her eyes shut she shook her head slightly, she would never return to that. She never wanted to be the thing that would haunt Minato's dreams in the night, a horrible vision that he could never rid himself of, a monster he would never want to touch.

The thought chilled her to the bone.

To never feel his gentle fingers touch her again, to never see that warm smile on his face, to never see those dark eyes that cared so much. It was a night mare all her own, she could never do it again...

Then why did it keep happening?

Why was it that every time she would begin to fall into the thrill of battle it began to rise up, the ghost of madness felt so long ago whispering poison into her ear. Bloodlust swelling like a tidal wave of crimson and threatening to swallow her whole if she so much as thought about letting go. The ability to lose herself in a scarlet haze of fighting, competing only to win, only to prove herself and gain another bloody trophy.

It terrified her...

"Haihane-chan?"

It was her turn to jump as she heard that voice, that oh so wonderful voice with that lyrical symphony of vocal cords that she craved to hear, "Hm? Minato?" Haihane lowered her head from her gaze on the jade canopy above, her one visible eye meeting Minato's as he approached with a smile. Deep within his eyes burnt that warmth that sent her spirit to soar, that wellspring of emotion that he could share with only so much as a glance. Even by looking at her he knew how to make her heart pound, the thundering in the reapers chest setting the world to a perfect rhythm.

"Can I ask you something Haihane-chan?" His voice was friendly but nervous, that nervous tic of his to scratch the back of his neck in full force while his left and injured hand was deep into his side pocket.

"Sure Minato," she said with a small smirk, her cheeks tinting slightly red as her bandaged hand patted the grass by her side, "take a seat and tell me what's on your mind." In no time Minato sat himself awkwardly by Haihane's side, his body wrestling with itself to become comfortable on the lumpy ground. A soft chuckle echoed from her throat after the tenth minute of watching him struggle, a small spark in her eye as she spoke, "Having trouble Minato?"

He offered her an apologetic smile as he shifted off of a upturned root, "Sort of...I think I must be sitting on something..."

A mischievous smirk crossed Haihane's lips as she gracefully stood up, her naturally flexible and agile nature allowing her to rise with the grace and silence of a house cat. Once standing Minato gave her a confused look before she slowly sat down once more, her legs tucking under her body so she would be able to sit on them.

"Haihane-chan?" Minato asked in confusion, his body still shifting back and forth as he tried to find a comfortable spot amidst the gnarled tree roots.

Without warning Haihane reached out and grabbed Minato by the shoulders, her arms pulling sharply and sending him into a tilting fall. For a moment Minato thought Haihane was going to smash his face into the ground, his head turning and his eyes closing so as to avoid the rough impact with the solid soil. However what he landed upon was neither hard nor gritty, instead it felt rather soft and covered with a very thin layer of cushioned cloth.

Haihane smiled as Minato opened his eyes, realization flooding him as he came to understand that he was now lying with his head in Haihane's lap, "more comfortable no?"

Minato's face was a bright crimson but he simply nodded, his lower body twisting slightly and settling so he could be more comfortable with his head in Haihane's lap, 'Y-Yeah...thanks Haihane-chan."

Haihane chuckled, her grey cloaked fingers slowly combing through his hair absentmindedly as she teasingly spoke, "Anything for you my 'Ashikabi-sama.'" That only served to make Minato blush further, his head turning away from her gaze as he looked out to the nothingness at his side.

He was rather cute when he was so flustered, that red to his cheeks and the panic in his eyes giving him an endearing and amusing charm. Yet, as Minato's blush began to fade and his face relaxed, Haihane saw something that sent her heart into a helpless flutter. Minato slowly began to relax, his body gradually stretching out as his head unconsciously nuzzled into her lap. Bit by bit that cute panic evaporated, his embarrassment floating away leaving only the calm and content face of a young man with the one he trusts the most. His entire being resonated with a sense of tranquility as Haihane's fingers continued to comb through his onyx locks, his eyes fluttering closed and the illusion of sleep settling over him in the gentle shade of the tree...

He was relaxed around her...

Despite everything that had happened...

He didn't fear her...

It was almost enough to cause her to sob in relief.

"Haihane-chan," Minato suddenly spoke, one of his eyes cracking open as he spoke, "I still wanted to ask you something."

"Oh! Yeah," Haihane spoke, clearing her throat to try and rid herself of the slight squeak in her voice, "what is it Minato?"

For a moment Minato paused, both of his eyes opening as he spoke, "All of today I've been asking everyone the same question and from all of them, I've gotten pretty similar answers...it was something Kaze-chan suggested I do to deal with some of the thoughts I've had lately."

Making a mental note to glower at 'Kaze-chan' later Haihane's fingers cupped Minato's cheek, her head tilting with curiosity as she spoke, "What kind of thoughts Minato?"

She was happy to hear him sigh at her touch, his head subconsciously leaning toward her bandaged palm as he spoke, "I...feel like I've been unfair to all of you. I never want to hurt any of you but with all of Sekirei that I have, it feels like that's all I've been doing lately." Haihane stared in amazement at Minato, her heart beginning to pound as he continued to spill his every last emotion, "I never have enough time for all of you, enough to give you the attention that you deserve Haihane-chan."

"Minato..." Haihane whispered, her chest clenching tight as he spoke his heart. Was he afraid of hurting them? Was he scared that they weren't happy with him?

"I just...I didn't want to cause all of this pain. I just don't know what to do about it all..." Minato's voice trailed off as he closed his eyes, his regretful tone touching her heart as he concluded his speech.

With perfect silence Haihane lifted her hand from his cheek, his face wincing slightly before it settled into an even more despondent look as if he were waiting for a painful slap. Grace blessed Haihane as she reached up to her wrist, the fingers of her other hand fiddling with her wrappings for a bit before they slackened their skin tight hold on her. In seconds the bandages around Haihane's limb had loosened and pooled around her wrist, the soft pale white skin of her hand clashing with the pitch black coloration of her fingernails. Slowly and ever so carefully Haihane cupped Minato's cheek, the gentle curve of her palm caressing the side of his jaw with true skin on skin contact.

Minato's eyes jumped open, the feel of flesh against flesh surprising him as he came face to face with a sadly smiling Haihane, "Minato, are you mad at me for what I did to you?"

Minato blinked, Haihane's hand still holding the side of his face as he spoke, "Of course not Haihane-chan, it was a mistake and I can't be mad at you for that."

Haihane's heart nearly burst with emotion, her every nerve alight with passionate fire as she spoke, "Minato, I tore up your arm and almost killed you. If you're not angry at me for that then there's no way I can be mad at you for having more than a couple Sekirei."

Minato looked like he was going to talk back but his breath died in his throat, his mouth closing slowly as the corners of his lips curved up into a small smile. Haihane watched as he let out a slow breath, his body settling slightly while his eyes quietly closed. His head rested on her lap as she continued to stroke the side of his face, pale fingers dancing with the softness of the wind over his lightly tanned skin. It had been the first time he felt her flesh and it was something he doubted he would ever forget, "Thanks Haihane-chan…"

She had proven her point.

As long as he cared then they would be happy.

For better or worse they were with him to the very end...

Especially his own personal grey reaper girl…

"Mina-tan! We've got some big trouble!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	10. Questions

Hello there everybody! How are you? It's been a while hasn't it? Ugh...spring vacations are absolutely deadly, let no one tell you otherwise. Well I was able to get back somewhat early and I was able to post what I came up with during vacation. Sorry if it's a bit ratty and patched together, kind of tough to formulate a good story when your spending your days and nights imitating Kazehana. Well in any case, thank you for your patience and I hope you haven't run away due to my absence. Without further ado please read, review, and most of all enjoy the newest chapter of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 10: Questions  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Some of the biggest problems come from the simplest of questions..._

_Will you hear us out?_

"Well water balloons, ready to lose?" Haihane chuckled at her own joke, her body languidly stretching her slim arms down towards her long legs with grace and care. Her body was draped by her normal black kimono, the shredded and over-sized garment held closed by a pair of belts wrapped tightly around her trim stomach. One sleeve of the kimono had slipped down from her shoulder revealing the bandage bound skin beneath, a manager of light grey bandages hiding her pale skin from the bright light of the sun. However, unlike her typical garb there was something different about her equipment, something that had been altered from all of her time at the Inn. Slung from one shoulder to her opposite hip was a hefty leather strap, the tanned and treated hide suspending a large mechanical cylinder at her lower back. As Haihane rose from her simple stretches she came face to face with the aim of her torment, the one woman in the household that she loved to infuriate second best out of all, the stiff and formally stuck up Tsukiumi.

"Humph, you are below competition for me you reckless slob," Tsukiumi muttered, her high and haughty attitude out in full force as she crossed her arms beneath her prodigious bust. Her small white dress was the color of pristine snow, freshly fallen winter clashing sharply with her long black cloak. Her bright golden hair floated freely in the wind along with her ground touching coat, her intense cerulean eyes serving a glare so strong enough that it could pierce even the toughest of steel, "Musubi is my only concern in these contests."

"Is that why I've beaten you every time?" Haihane teased, her grin creeping across her face like a taunting vine as she stretched a single arm across her own decently endowed chest.

"You know very well that is because you are an impertinent fraud," Tsukiumi hissed, a hard stare leveled at Haihane with full intent to reduce her to cinders with a single look. The silver haired Sekirei only smirked, her defiance in the face of the 'walking water tap' a regular part of their daily lives at Izumo Inn.

"Haihane-chan, Tsukiumi-san," Minato voice came out in a soft mutter, his hand nervously scratching the back of his head as he approached the two from the entryway of the Inn, "please, for once don't fight about this."

"Alright Minato, I guess I could," Haihane sent Minato a coy smile, an almost predatory smirk that made Minato think that Haihane had been spending far too much time around Kazehana. Releasing her arms from their stretching Haihane easily placed herself at Minato's side, both of her arms wrapping around one of his own as she softly purred, "but I think I should get a kiss for being good."

"Harlot! This is precisely my point!" Tsukiumi howled, her arms wrapping around Minato's free limb and roughly pulling him out of the bandaged girls hold, "your participation in this contest is fouled by your insistent kisses from Minato when it is I, his legal wife, who alone should feel his lips upon my own!"

"As his Sekirei I should be able to kiss him too," Haihane commented in a nonplussed manner, her increased hold on Minato easily pulling him away from the blond beauty, "after all, if my 'Ashikabi-sama' is in trouble then how else could I defend him without Norito?"

"You need not your Norito to go shopping!" Tsukiumi growled, another strong jerk pulling Minato back into her embrace, "besides, it is I who Minato should be calling in such an affectionate manner! Minato, I demand that from this moment on you shall call me Tsukiumi-chan!" Instantly Tsukiumi's face was a bright and vibrant crimson, embarrassment flooding her features as she turned to Haihane with a withering glare, "W-W-Wait! N-Never tell anyone about this!"

"Oh you can bet money that I will water balloon's," Haihane smirked as she pulled Mianto back, her head resting on his shoulder the same as it had ever since she was first winged, "unless of course you give up the title of Minato's legal wife to me."

"Never!"

Minato sighed as the two continued to play tug of war with his arms, their arguing as strong as ever as he waited for something to stop them...namely the terrifying landlady named Miya and her dreaded wooden spoon. He knew he would be hit for this too but he'd been hit for pretty much everything so he was used to it…unfortunately enough. Besides, the two fighting over him and the threat of Miya hitting them over the head was the least of his problems. In fact it had been the occurrence that happened only a few short days ago that was the most worrying thought for the young ronin...

~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What do you mean Matsu-san?" Minato asked curiously, Haihane having come along only because she had absolutely refused to release his arm. Given that Matsu had begged and pleaded with Minato to speak with her alone in her room gave Haihane more than enough reason to draw some suspicions from the well known pervert's intent.

"I mean just like I say Mina-tan," Matsu muttered, her fingers flying over her keyboard as picture after picture appeared on her wall of screens, "there are several stages to the Sekirei Plan, the first one involves Sekirei being released from the tower and going out to look for the Ashikabi that causes their body to react."

"A Sekirei's body reacts to the Ashikabi that is best suited for them right?" Minato questioned, an affirmative nod being his answer from the bespectacled woman, "Well then I know that much Matsu-san, what about everything else?"

"The second stage..." Matsu paused for a moment, a slight shiver racing along her spine before she shook it off. On the screen before her eyes a few pictures froze from their random assortment, three Sekirei faces pausing from the slot roulette of over one hundred, "The second stage is an all out race for the last ten unwinged Sekirei to become bonded with an Ashikabi."

"They want to turning winging Sekirei into a race?" Minato's voice was laced with surprise and disgust, his memories of what he had learned in the hospital coming back to him like a flood. Akitsu and the others had told him the ins and outs of winging as far as they knew them, permanency and strength of the winging bond being the two most important aspects that they shared. Now that he had learned that winging was going to become just another part of this game...it made him feel slightly sick.

Matsu nodded, ten names and faces fixating themselves on the screen and showing the final Sekirei still unwinged in this mad plan, "These are the Sekirei that remain unwinged. The CEO should be making an announcement soon about this, not only to the Ashikabi but to the general public as well. He is going to tell the world about the existence of Sekirei and he is going to lock down the entire city so no one can get in or out."

Minato didn't even get a chance to ask his upcoming question, Matsu cutting him off with a sigh and a shake of her head, "Mina-tan, winging isn't always a choice. No matter what a person's ability is, when someone who has the potential to be an Ashikabi kisses a Sekirei then that Sekirei can be forcibly winged to that Ashikabi for life...that is what this race is all about Mina-tan."

"What?" Shock lit up Minato's face as he looked from Matsu to the screen. In each one of those faces, no matter what the expression, he could almost see the hope in their eyes. He could almost feel how much they wanted to find the one that was meant for them, their destined Ashikabi for the rest of the lives.

And now it was being turned into a sick, madman's game...

Matsu's fair and fragile fingers reached up and easily plucked her glasses from her face, the reflective spectacles being brought to the edge of her soft white dress before being cleaned with a firm and meticulous hand, "I calculate that more than a quarter of the Sekirei that have been winged so far in this game have been taken by force..."

"And these last ten Sekirei are going to be in the same position soon aren't they?" Minato's voice was tense, his normal tone touched with just a bit of heat as he waited for his answer…

Silence was Minato's reply, the whir of a dozen electric fans and the soft static scream of electricity existing as the only sounds in the room. Minato's head hung as he glanced down at his scarred arm, his eyes falling to the unexpected sight of his once injured hand clenched into a tightened fist...it was becoming quite the persistent habit when his newfound anger came to rise.

"Unless they find their desired Ashikabi fast then...yeah," Matsu muttered, her glasses cleaned and the shining lenses being slipped back onto her face, "Lately several of the stronger Ashikabi have been rounding up unwinged Sekirei and forcefully winging them. They are aiming to widen their power bases for the second stage."

Minato's face contorted into a visage of agonizing pain, his scarred hand clenching hard enough to cause shooting pain all along the left side of his body. Two names came to mind, two utterly despicable men whose titles surfaced in his subconscious to a chorus of mental curses, "Matsu-san...were any of these Ashikabi named Mikogami or Higa?"

Haihane flinched at the names, worry in her eyes as she turned to face the now despondent Matsu, "Yes Mina-tan, both of them have been gathering Sekirei from all over the city...so much so that they have become two of the major players in the Sekirei plan."

With time and concentration Minato's hand relaxed, pained grumbles and whimpers strangled in his throat as he thought of the implications. Mikogami, a greed driven child who would do anything to gain more, to play with the innumerable 'toys' he saw surround him. And Higa...he had yet to meet Higa but judging by what the rest of his Sekirei told him about the man, he had more than his fair share to answer to, "How many 'major players' are in the plan?"

Turning back to her computer Matsu wrote line after line of code in the blink of an eye, the names and pictures on the screen minimizing as a map of the city came into clear focus. Each of the four major directions was a different color, a different name plastered in the center of the sectors as Mastu spoke, "So far there are four major Ashikabi present in the plan who rule over different areas of the city. In the east is Higa, he is using his hospital and the surrounding buildings as his base. In the south is Mikogami...from what I've seen using the M.B.I. tracking system put on Sekirei and their Ashikabi I can't find out where he spends most of this time; he just seems to move from one fancy hotel to another at random. In the west is someone named Sanada, he isn't nearly as strong as the other two but in that direction he has the most powerful group of Sekirei. Finally, here in the north..."

Matsu chuckled softly as she brought up the final name, the northern sector Ashikabi's picture being accompanied by seven very familiar faces, "It's you Mina-tan."

Minato could only stare in wonder at his picture on the screen, his seven beautiful and lovely Sekirei lined up by his side from lowest number to highest. To say he was surprised was an understatement, his shock at the situation getting the better of him and turning him mute in the face of it all. For once he was considered a powerful figure in something, for once he wasn't some sort of failure, for once he held strength and perseverance in something that involved pressure and high stakes...maybe his goal wasn't as far off as he had thought.

"Well look at that Minato," Haihane smirked, her head nuzzling into his shoulder as she pulled herself slightly closer to his body "my 'Ashikabi-sama' is a big shot in the Sekirei Plan."

Chuckling softly Minato rolled his eyes, his free hand coming up to scratch the top of his head as he muttered embarrassingly, "I don't think that's something I should be proud of..."

"Actually it is Mina-tan," Matsu said with a soft smile, a single finger pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she spoke, "unlike most of the other strong Ashikabi you haven't had to force any Sekirei to be winged by you. They all came of their own will and you've shown us nothing but kindness and caring no matter what the circumstances."

"The perv is right Minato," Haihane smirked, Matsu sending the grey girl a soft glare that was easily ignored, "how many Ashikabi can say that they winged six Sekirei and got another broken one to follow them based only on who they are?"

Haihane's praise sparked an even deeper blush on Minato's cheeks, his smile growing at the reapers words, "Th-Thanks Haihane-chan, Matsu-san."

Haihane winked at Minato, her head nuzzling deeper into his shoulder as her own cheeks took on a tint of light pink, "Anytime and always Minato."

"If you really want to thank me Mina-tan how about a do a little experimentation~" Matsu giggled, a slick pink tongue darting over her lips as her bespectacled eyes fell directly to Minato's crotch.

Minato, once again, was left speechless by Matsu's boldness, the attack on his modesty rendering him mute as his face blushed a deep and vibrant red. However, Haihane was under no such restriction, her grin growing and a sharp spark bursting in her eye as she turned her gaze to the prowling pervert, "Watch out perv, there's a reason chill chest calls me a pussy cat...I scratch."

Matsu eyed the two clawed gauntlets in the corner of the room, a bead of sweat forming on her brow before she nervously laughed, "Ah ha ha Hai-tan, you know I'm just kidding!"

"No you're not," Haihane said with a completely flat tone, grin still firmly in place as Matsu paled in realization that her ploy was a complete failure. "But," Haihane interrupted Matsu before she began to plead for her life, "I guess it might be good to give our 'Ashikabi-sama' an experiment now and again to make sure he is healthy, don't you think?"

All at once Minato felt two sets of eyes rest upon him like two starving pit bulls staring at a piece of steak, he doubted that he had ever felt like a chunk of meat more in his life than in that very moment. Smiling awkwardly, his face rivaling a tomato with its scarlet hue, he tried his very best to steer the conversation away from his pants and Haihane's gradually growing flirtatious behavior, "Eh...M-Matsu-san, was there anything else you wanted to talk with me about?"

Suddenly Matsu's eyebrows jumped in sudden realization, her hand fisting and landing in the palm of her other as she spoke, "Ah! Yes, thank you for reminding me Mina-tan!"

Spinning on a dime Matsu turned to face her computer, Minato and Haihane watching as Matsu brought up a whole new smattering of information on the screen before her, "What is this Matsu-san?"

Once more Matsu's attitude was thrown back into gravely serious, a total of seven names and pictures being spread out on the screen before she turned back to face the pair, "These are the names of several Sekirei that have been defeated over the last two weeks without the name of a victor being given."

"Ah! Like what Musubi-san said about eliminating crests and...waiting for the M.B.I. to pick them up," Minato's voice went from excited realization to stone hard factual understanding. Musubi had been able to tell them about a Sekirei crest, her knowledge of what it took to dissolve a crest and defeat a Sekirei surprisingly informative given her naive and gentle nature. However, she had also mentioned that a victorious Sekirei would stay with the one whose crest had been removed; a courtesy shown from one combatant to the other to make sure the loser was safe. To not be present meant either a human with highly advanced technology was out hunting Sekirei, or there was one contestant that wasn't following the rules in the least.

"Exactly Mina-tan," Matsu said with a sigh, "it looks like there is a Sekirei assassin somewhere in the city."

"Assassin?" Haihane suddenly muttered, surprise in her voice which earned confused looks from both Minato and Matsu, "Are they...killed?"

"No," Matsu said allowing Haihane to give a breath of relief, "most of them are just beaten until their crests give out while a few others have had it removed with an incantation."

"Why are you concerned Haihane-chan?" Minato asked, his own distaste with murder very obvious but Haihane's concerned reaction brought forth a deep and very real worry from his heart.

"There is someone on the disciplinary squad," Haihane began, her eyes turning to the side and closing as she remembered that icy smile, "she doesn't fight...she just kills."

Haihane could feel a shiver run through Minato, her cryptic description and obvious hesitance to talk about that certain Sekirei enough to make him pray they never ran into them. Likewise Matsu quaked, her body slowly turning back to the screen before another picture popped up, that ever grinning face of the silver haired swordswoman gracing the illuminated screen, "Hai-tan...is this her?"

"Yes," Haihane muttered, her hands unconsciously clutching onto Minato's arm tighter as she spoke with a muted and toneless voice, "number 4, Karasuba."

"Is she really that bad?" Minato questioned, his voice spreading out in the room with no direct intent.

"Yes," Matsu started, Haihane remaining silent as Matsu sighed, "Karasuba has been a member of the disciplinary squad since they began and I can tell you from experience that she is just as blood thirsty as Hai-tan says."

A queasy sensation gathered in Minato's stomach at the thought, that ice cold grin and those fox like eyes looking out from the small glowing square. More than once had he been with Uzume and Kusano when they watched his four 'battle loving' Sekirei sparing with one another or practicing against Miya. He had also been witness to a few of the numerous times when Haihane's insane smile returned, her bloodlust rising as that mad killers eye began to rise from its dormancy in the back of her mind. He was proud when she would stop, backing away and stopping her slaughtering spirit from taking control and causing her to try to murder her opponent. However, it was still there, a familiarity with death and battle that no amount of control could erase.

If this Karasuba made someone with that inside worry...

"Wait a minute perv," Haihane muttered, Minato's thoughts broken by Haihane's interruption, "what do you mean from experience?"

"Hm? Oh, I was on the first generation disciplinary squad," Matsu said nonchalantly, her shoulders shrugging as she began to turn away, "but since it doesn't lo-"

"You?" Haihane and Minato said at the same time, the shock in their voice halting Matsu in her speech and actions.

"Yes," Matsu said with a curiously quirked eyebrow, "is that so odd? Now as I was saying, since it-"

"You were on the disciplinary squad?" the pair continued to gawk as Matsu, the glasses wearing woman beginning to pout as a tick of irritation formed on her forehead.

"Yes! Now if I may continue?" Matsu's indignation was obvious enough to stop the repeated question but not the surprised gawking, her voice sighing as she decided to continue on with her thought, "As I was saying, since it doesn't look like Karasuba is a problem at the moment we need to be prepared in case this 'Sekirei Assassin' decides to pay any of your Sekirei a visit Mina-tan."

Regaining most of his wit Minato nodded, the information he had learned about Matsu being filed for later discussion before he responded, "I understand, but what can we do about it?"

Haihane smirked, her hands squeezing Minato's arm as she rubbed her grey haired head into his bicep, "we take the fight to her Minato…simple as that."

"Haihane-chan," Minato began, worry in his voice as he looked down at the slightly shorter woman, "I...I don't want any of you to go out and try to find a Sekirei who has been randomly eliminating others without a second thought...you all matter too much for any of you to have to be in that position."

Matsu and Haihane felt a pulse of heat race through their bodies, Minato's caring words sending a light flush of fire to both of their cheeks. For her part Haihane simply nuzzled further into Minato's arm, the warmth in her body only growing more intense as she pressed more of her bandaged covered flesh against him. Matsu on the other hand was able to speak, a soft cough gaining Minato's attention to her blushing face as she spoke, "I think Mina-tan is right Hai-tan. It's not that you or the others are weak but unless we have better information, we can't come up with a good battle plan...it's also kind of the reason why I wanted to only tell Mina-tan. Knowing Tsuki-tan or Mu-tan they would try to go out and hunt this Sekirei down."

"Hm," Haihane muttered, her eyes closed and a pleased smile on her face, "alright Minato, I'll listen to my 'Ashikabi-sama' and not go after her."

"Haihane-chan," Minato began, his nerves beginning to wear as he spoke, "It's not only going after her. I don't want any of you to have to fight her...besides what if she attacks you when you aren't expecting a fight?" In one simple comment Minato had brought up a very valid point to the grey haired claw wielder. Lately Haihane had taken to not wearing her claws around the Inn; the cumbersome and heavy gauntlets not only limiting to her movement but becoming potentially deadly if she so much as fell down. Because of this Miya had asked her, or rather told her to not wear them in the house or when they went shopping. That would prove to be a problem if this 'Sekirei Assassin' were to show up on one of the shopping trips.

"Actually, I already thought of that Mina-tan," Matsu said with a grin, her hand reaching behind her back and under the tables which held her menagerie of computers. With a short bit of rummaging around Matsu pulled out a large metallic cylinder, a thick adjustable leather strap attached to one side and hanging loosely from the metal device, "this tube should be strong enough to hold onto your claws so you don't have to leave them out in the open Hai-tan. I also found a strap that can attach to it so that you can take them anywhere you go. I noticed that you didn't have a sheath or anything for your claws and given what you told us about your adjustments at M.B.I. I'm guessing that they didn't expect you to need your hands for anything other than fighting."

Haihane stared with wide eyes at the veritable sheath, the large metal casing enough for her to fit her claws in without damaging them or dulling her razor sharp blades. Sure she had thought about somehow getting something to slip over the ends of her claws before, the numerous wounds over the majority of her body had prompted that idea more than once. However here she was being given what could potentially save her life and to be honest she was more than a little touched, "Uh...thanks pe-er, Matsu."

"No problem at all Hai-tan," Matsu said with a smirk, her glasses catching the light just right as she spoke, "it's all just part of this Matsu's master plan!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~

Minato sighed as he remembered that the rest of the conversation with Matsu, the glasses wearing Sekirei doing everything in her power to redirect every question pertaining to her 'plan' or whatever it was that she had up her sleeves. None the less, after the conversation with Matsu Haihane had quickly developed a habit of taking her 'sheath' with her wherever she went. She found a great amount of use in the simple steel tube, Matsu's alteration to the wide pipe enough to give it stability against Haihane's slicing claws while at the same time offering Haihane quick access to her weapons inside.

Matsu was also completely spot-on with her prediction of Minaka and his grandiose reveal of the Sekirei Plan and its participants. It only took a few short hours before Minaka was over every airwave that he could get his hands on, his booming and enthusiastic voice explaining the city wide lockdown and the bare bones of his plan for this game. He literally shouted his plans to the entire world, demanding the attention of every living being on the face of the planet as he told his story of the gods and their gifts from the sky.

Let it never be said Minaka was ever too subtle or cryptic in his practices...

WHACK!

"How many times must I say it Sahashi-san," Miya's voice rang throughout the front yard, wooden spoon in hand as her terrifying hannya mask hovered behind her, "please do make sure your Sekirei are kept under control or else you will be punished."

By his side Haihane was frantically rubbing at her sore skull while Tsukiumi did her best to ignore the pain, her crossed arms and clenched teeth enough to hide the pain burning on her scalp. Minato on the other hand only sighed, his unscarred hand rubbing the new bump on his head as he spoke, "Yes landlady-sama, I'm sorry."

"Good," Miya smiled brightly, "and the two of you?"

"My apologies Landlady-dono," Tsukiumi moaned, her wincing face expressing the pain in her skull.

"I am sorry Miya-sama," Haihane muttered, her eyes downcast as she absentmindedly rubbed away the pain.

For a moment Miya's eyes lingered on Haihane, those deep indigo orbs looking over the grey girl for a few seconds longer before her hovering misty mask dissolved and she offered the three a small smile, "Very good. Now since Akitsu-san and Musubi-san have finished their chores we may begin shopping as usual."

Just as those words left Miya's mouth Akitsu and Musubi appeared from behind the purple haired landlady, Musubi with her ever energetic smile and Akitsu wearing her naturally neutral facial expression, "Musubi is ready landlady-sama!"

"I am prepared as well Miya-sama."

Calmly hanging from Miya's arms were four medium sized grocery bags, the woven cloth of the sacks meant to stretch under heavy pressure but also remain soft enough to resist damaging some of the more fragile produce. Miya quickly handed out the bags to each girl, every one getting a single bag before Miya started to talk, "As usual, the contest for today is whoever can gather their supplies and return in the shortest amount of time will be allowed to sit next to Sahashi-san during dinner."

Minato sighed as he glanced between each of the girls, an invisible four way lightning bolt throwing stare shared between them as Miya continued her speech unabated, "you each have a list in your bags as to what you will be expected to purchase as well as enough money to get what you need. Quality counts so please get only the best for dinner this evening alright?" A chorus of affirmatives met Miya's ears, her smile never once coming unglued as she spoke, "Good, now off you go." In a burst of speed all four took off with the swiftness of the wind, every one of them vanishing in a blur as they raced off for the nearest marketplace.

Miya giggled quietly, her mouth behind a dainty hand as she spoke, "They are quite energetic today aren't they?"

Minato sighed, watching as four different colored blurs vanished into the distance, "Yes...I just hope they are careful."

"I'm certain they will be fine Sahashi-san," Miya said with a simple nod, her body turning as she walked towards the Inn, "have a little faith and trust that they will be able to handle what comes their way." As Miya disappeared into the Inn Minato continued to look off in the direction the girls had taken. He did trust them, more than almost anyone in the world he trusted them with his very life.

It was others he was wary about...

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With a sigh she looked down at the paper in her hand, nine names laid out before her eyes as she looked at them. Each one had a picture, hopeful expressions captured on film but never seen by her in person...

Except for one.

She remembered that face, those deep and expressive feline eyes, that long and vibrant raven black hair, a dark purple dress that barely covered whatever modesty she had.

Nee-san...

She resisted the urge to crush the paper in an iron hard grip, to tear it to shreds and throw it to the furthest corners of the wind. S_he_ was counting on her; _she_ was waiting on that porcelain bed beneath the ghostly pale covers. The stench of sterile medicine surrounded _her_, flowers a long off memory as _she_ stared up at the blank ceiling in the few short hours that _she_ was conscious.

A choked sob broke the silence of the night as a lone tear rolled down a pale cheek.

Her heart felt as though she were caught between the levels of heaven and hell, the fires below licking at her heels while the bright healing light above sat just out of her reach. It was a position none would wish upon their greatest enemy, a bastardized harmony between torture and ecstasy forever holding balance, tilting this way and that but never once falling into the diametric oblivion.

With a soft sigh she folded the paper, slipping it into a small pouch on her side as she glanced down toward the faded blond hair racing through the streets below.

There was work to be done...

Anything for her beloved Ashikabi...

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's the matter water balloon's, slowing down?" Haihane chuckled as she bounded from one building to the next, a pale grey blur darting with the speed of a dragonfly's wing as she continued to taunt her 'shopping partner.'

"Despicable cretin!" Tsukiumi growled, her footsteps thundering along the pavement as she tried her very best to catch the agile reaper, "come down and participate fairly!"

"Pussy cat is not one to play fair 'walking water tap,'" Akistu's Miya impression was never one to disappoint as a shiver raced along Tsukiumi's spine, the ice maiden easily matching Tsukiumi but approaching nowhere near the speed of Haihane, "I believe it is only Musubi-san that can ever catch her."

Sure enough Musubi was matching Haihane jump for jump, the two athletically based Sekirei putting their agility on full display with every bounding leap. However, despite their similar abilities it was easy to see the difference between the two. While Haihane had the obvious edge in swiftness Musubi had power in spades, her longer jumps keeping her at an even pace with the silver haired speed demon.

"Defeatist cur," Tsukiumi hissed, the full energy of her body focusing into her legs as she pulled ahead of Akitsu by the smallest of margins, "if you are so certain of your loss then why do you continue to participate."

Without any visible effort Akitsu upped her own speed, her light feet matching Tsukiumi's clomping steps as she responded, "Pussy cat forgets many things, if she were to forget an ingredient then it would only be a matter of distracting Musubi for me to win."

"You include Musubi you devious lout but not I?" Tsukiumi snarled, her rage pushing her ahead of Akitsu by a good meter or two, "you must truly have a desire to lose!"

Without warning Akitsu rushed past Tsukiumi, her movements outclassing the water user by several meters, "Either that or 'you are below competition' to me Tsukiumi-san."

A guttural yell echoed across the walls of the buildings surrounding the four Sekirei, Tsukiumi's anger and embarrassment easy to hear as she did her best to prove herself the best 'wife' for her Ashikabi...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Daikons, leek, and cabbages," Haihane smirked as she opened the cloth bag beneath her nose, the contents of the sack matching her list down to the letter, "Perfect. This race is as good as-"

A sudden gust of wind cut off Haihane's words, a whirlwind of incredible force tearing past her and sending her tattered kimono floundering in the breeze. "Yay!" Musubi's voice echoed through the small space between the buildings, a joyous shout left in the wake of the tornado of speed, "Musubi will get to sit next to Minato-sama tonight!"

Haihane was stunned for a few brief moments before her hands clenched, the crumpled paper of her list in one hand and the handles of her shopping bag in the other, "Over my dead body mega boobs!"

In seconds the two were bounding over rooftops and across walls, speed meeting power in a head on collision that was destined to make a race for the ages. Each of them on a determined mission to finish first, to be the one that would beat the others and be given the coveted spot next to Minato at dinner. To be the one to feed their beloved Ashikabi while-

**_SCREEEEEEEEEECH_**

Dust and gravel shot into the air as the pair stopped on a dime, their heels digging into the loose material atop their landing point as they turned to face one another, "Did you hear that too mega boobs?"

Musubi nodded, her head turning from the grey girl and scanning the surrounding empty rooftops for the source of the echoing call, "Musubi did but Musubi can't see anything!"

Haihane resisted the urge to sigh as she jerked her head to the side, the source of the sound coming from the streets below, "let's check the streets first."

~~~~~~~~~~~_Toki Wo Tomare_~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was painful to watch them run, a caring Ashikabi and his loyal Sekirei hoping to escape this terrible game. Clinging to some shattered dream of freedom, running on a wheel within a cast iron cage.

In some ways she could respect it.

In others she felt pity.

Right now she felt nothing.

"Shit!" the boy shouted as she watched them from her perch, the young blond haired girl having already fallen in the course of her chase, "Why do you have to be such a klutz!"

The blond haired girl sniffled softly, one wrist wiping away the tears gathering in her eye as she whimpered, "I'm not a klutz, I'm Kuno." With an irritated sigh the boy did his best to pull Kuno up to her feet, her blue uniform tarnished and dirty as she frantically scrambled to keep up with his quicker pace. Those eyes of his, they held such a level of tenderness behind his irritation, deep compassion beyond the shell of annoyance...

It was a shame it would have to end.

She closed her eyes as the purest of white surrounded her in a cocoon of cloth, a tornado of silken veils shrouding her from the world and carrying her through the air only to land directly in the path of the fleeing duo. As she came to land on silent feet she could just barely hear the Ashikabi curse, his voice unconsciously trembling as she at last revealed herself. "Ashikabi," she spoke, her voice reverberating within the confines of the small alley, "stand back, I do not want to harm a human."

For a moment the two shared a look, the blond haired and teary eyed Kuno clutching onto his arm as if he were a lone raft in a choppy sea, "H...Haruka-san." Kuno's voice was thick with doubt, fear and apprehension underlining every word that she spoke. Pale blue met deep chocolate brown, their eyes gazing into one another as the Kuno searched the depths of his ochre pools for some sort of hope inspiring answer.

Suddenly the boy called Haruka grit his teeth, his eyes closing from force as he howled toward the pale cloaked Sekirei, "How could I just leave this girl and run you idiot!"

Her breath caught in her throat at his words, memories flooding her mind from so long ago. She remembered those peaceful days, the love that she had shared when the world seemed so much brighter and filled with a peace she hadn't seen for ages. She knew what it was to be torn from your other half, to be denied the peace you so rightfully deserve when you so rarely find it...

Perhaps in time, they could appreciate her gift to them...

"At the very least," she began, her voice as flat and monotone as a person she had come to know all too well, "I will send the both of you to the heavens." Slowly she raised her hand, her numerous stark white veils surrounding her arm in a pale vortex, razor sharp and deadly cloth heading towards the pair with lethal intent.

"K-Kuno!" Haruka shouted, his arms wrapping around the blond haired girl tightly.

Kuno's girls face became clouded with a bright crimson blush, embarrassment in her features as her voice slowly began to crackle, "Kek...ugh...screech..."

**_SCREEEEEEEEEECH_**

The sound was intense, a massive wall of vibrating air shattering her attack and sending her back on her haunches. Her hands clapped over her ears as the shattering wail surrounded her with its high pitched trembling, Kuno's yell easily shattering nearby windows with the pure force behind it. She nearly couldn't take the sound, every cell in her body beginning to hum as her bones shivered beneath her skin. She could almost feel her frame begin to fracture from the violent vibration, her scream at perfect resonance with her internal skeleton and threatening to break them if they were exposed any longer.

Suddenly the sound stopped, the bone shattering screech suddenly stopping and giving her a moments reprieve to look at the pair. With her vision still swimming she turned up to face the blond and the boy, Kuno wavering on her feet from exertion as Haruka softly caught her in his arms. From behind Kuno Haruka stood with a small smirk, his fingers fishing plugs from his ears showing how had avoided being drawn into the hectic sonic scream, "Did you see that? Kuno's finisher! The Screaming Screech Cry!"

Kuno began to whimper, her hand gently holding Haruka's broad shoulder as she tearfully spoke, "H-Haruka-san, that name is too weird...it's not even part of my incantation..."

Bit by bit her vision began to clear, the hand on her head slowly stabilizing the world as it came into focus around her. Truth be told that attack was somewhat impressive, had Kuno been able to hold it for just a bit longer then they might have actually slowed her down. Hell even now she could was almost certain that she would have a splitting headache in an hour or two. But that meant nothing now, with Kuno's power exerted and set into a long recharge cycle she would have to finish this quickly.

She silently wished them safe passage...

"Shit," Haruka growled as he noticed the cold stare the white cloaked Sekirei sent him, her body easily coming to stand as if nothing had ever happened, "it didn't work! We've gotta run!"

Like that the pair turned on their heels, Haruka grabbing hold of Kuno's arm as he started to drag her away from the dangerous Sekirei. Yet, as the blond haired girl looked on she could see it was useless to try to run. With a simple hand gesture the white veiled Sekirei seemed to conjure an innumerable amount of ivory cloth, a gigantic tidal wave of woven razors heading for the pair with no intent to stop. The attack came with the force of a surging tsunami, spear like points of impending doom closing in on the pair with deadly speed and accuracy...

"_Zankako no Tsume_!"

Powerful hurricane force winds tore through the small space of the ally, scraps of cloth and chunks of concrete flying up into the air only to come crashing back down on the savage gusts. The sky was completely filled with small strips of cloth, snow white silk confetti throwing into the air as multiple metallic gleams streaked before everyone's eyes. Tumbling head over heels from the force of the wind Kuno barely avoided the numerous slash marks that appeared all around the area, deep scars carved from the solid sidewalk as the remains scattered into the air like so much dust in the wind.

Unable to control her falling body Kuno plowed into the backs of Haruka's knees, his legs instantly giving out from under him and causing him to come crashing down atop the blond haired girl. With a pained grunt Haruka quickly tried to rise, his arms wrapping around Kuno and pulling her up with him. Casting a glance to his side he found himself frozen, the shivering body in his arms only speaking of Kuno's own terror at the new predicament they had found themselves in.

Standing before the pair were two women, curvy and voluptuous bodies revealed by the blowing wind and their billowing clothes. The one on the left had long silver hair, bound back by a crimson ribbon, and she wore a pitch black and ratty kimono. Dressing every inch of her skin were aged grey bandages while her hands were encased in thick steel gauntlets, long metal claws dangling from the tips of her fingers and twitching with vicious anticipation. The one beside her was much curvier and skimpily dressed, her heavily altered miko outfit and long deep brown pony tail wafting in the residual wind left behind by the attack.

"Number 104 Haihane," The grey one spoke, her body slightly slouched as if her gauntlets weighed in at two tons each.

"Number 88 Musubi!" the other one spoke with a cheerful attitude, her entire body bouncing on the tips of her toes as her hands gleefully clenched in anticipation for a fight.

Who WERE these people?

~~~~~~~~~~~_Toki Wo Tomare_~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For a moment Haihane felt as though she knew that face, that smooth tampered chin, soft looking skin, and those massive breasts were almost all too familiar to her. It puzzled her for a great long while before she decided to let the thought go, a smirk crossing her lips as her claws began and clinking serenade of anticipation, "Hm, looks like we have a Sekirei that likes picking on weaklings..."

Musubi nodded enthusiastically, her bouncing increasing in rhythm which caused the small forward facing tuft of hair on her head to wiggle erratically, "Yes! And she looks really powerful too! A strong opponent!"

The Sekirei before them took a slight step back, teeth biting into a pale lip but never once saying a single word to the pair. "Silent type," Haihane shrugged, her claws continuing their sporadic sounds as she began to walk closer, "Musubi, you go handle the little kid back there. If I need to tag out with you then I'll call."

"Aw...alright!" Musubi smiled brightly as she turned around, her body facing the shivering blond Kuno and the wide eyed and confused Haruka, "Hi! My name is Musubi! Would you like to fight?"

Kuno looked the woman from head to toe, her large breasts, smooth curves, and cute face shattering whatever little self confidence the smaller blond could possibly have into smithereens. For a moment Kuno looked as if she were about to burst into tears, her head turning to Haruka only to find that his eyes were still glued to the voluptuous Musubi, "Sh-She's better than me in every level!"

Haruka sighed as he shook his head, his hand gently patting the top of Kuno's messy blond hair, "You really are useless aren't you?"

Ignoring Kuno's look of profound defeat Haruka turned to Musubi, the cheery looking girl looking on at them with a smile and a polite attitude. Would she…could she be able to help them? She certainly seemed nicer than anyone they had met during this ridiculous Sekirei plan so far so maybe…

Haruka's tone was apprehensive and his tongue felt thick in his mouth as he spoke, "Hey, you seem more reasonable than that "veiled" person...would you hear us out?"

Musubi tilted her head to the side as she listened to Haruka speak, all the while with an innocent and attentive gaze in her dark orange eyes...

~~~~~~~~~~~_Toki Wo Tomare_~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Glancing over her shoulder for a brief second Haihane saw Musubi was engrossed in conversation with the blond haired Sekirei and her Ashikabi...good.

"Let me take a few guesses," Haihane began, her body relaxing slightly from its typically tense battle posture as she spoke, "and feel free to just nod or shake your head if I'm right or wrong."

The Sekirei said nothing in response, something Haihane decided to run with as she started her list of statements, "first one, you're the Sekirei that's been eliminating others without ever being registered for a victory."

The veiled one paused before she slightly nodded her head.

"Second," A smirk slowly emerged on Haihane's lips, her claws tensing and rattling at the thought of being wrong with her next statement, "you really don't want to fight me."

The Sekirei was much faster to respond this time, her nodding head stronger and quicker than before.

"Damn," Haihane muttered, her claws coming to a standstill at the opponents answer. IF this veiled Sekirei really had wanted to fight than this would have been the time, the opportunity…to give all the proof Miya would need. If she could defeat this veiled one in battle for Minato without losing herself to the inner madness, without needing to pause so she could control herself, without feeling her blood lust rise...

"Damn," Haihane cursed again, her teeth gritting against one another before she shook it off. She would show her resolve some day but now...it was not the time, "fine...third, I know you."

The Sekirei was brought to a complete standstill by Haihane's words, her body appearing as if it had been frozen from head to toe in one of Akitsu's arctic attacks. Slowly the Sekirei's head shook from side to side, her body quaking as she gave a negative response.

Haihane noticed the reluctance, the pause, and it in turn gave her reason to ponder the woman before her. Where had she seen that shape before, that massive rack, that long brown hair?

Haihane sighed as she let her gauntlets hang by her side, fingers unmoving and tension released from her body as she spoke, "Alright, that's all I've got...feel lucky. I promised my Ashikabi that I wouldn't fight you...but if you ever attack me or my friends..." Haihane's threat hung in the air as she let a small taunting grin cross her lips, claws giving one last fierce click into the silence of their ended conversation.

In the blink of an eye the veiled Sekirei encased herself in her own veils, the long silken shrouds covering her from head to toe in a cocoon of ghostly white. Haihane watched at the veils spun for a brief moment, a writhing mass of pale fabric snakes trapped within an unsolvable knot before all at once collapsing in on itself. The wind was quick to pick up the remaining veils, the white cloth floating off with the wind and revealing nothing underneath.

"Haihane-san!" the familiar voice of Musubi brought Haihane out of her thoughts, her body turning to face Musubi as the blond haired girl and the brown haired boy followed behind.

"What is it Musubi?" Haihane asked with curiosity, a smirk on her face as she tensed her claws, "are they giving you some trouble?"

The girl looked as if she were about to faint before Musubi shook her head, the bubbly girls mouth opening as she began to explain...

~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All in all it truly had been a rather lucky shopping day for Tsukiumi, her produce and other groceries had been rather easy to find and she was certain that her choice in quality was second to none. She was even lucky that none of the places that she visited we busy, her groceries coming fast and cheap giving her a rather substantial lead on the other three.

And then came Akitsu...

It seemed that the ice maiden was very accurate in her description of being well above Tsukiumi in speed, her slower purchasing speed and more selective process doing nothing to stop her from easily catching up and passing the blond water user within minutes of leaving the market.

Despite this setback Tsukiumi was never one to admit defeat, her pace matching Akitsu's as they raced side by side for quite some time, their energetic running casting up miniature tornadoes and sending dogs into frantic confused barking sprees. "Detestable harlot," Tsukiumi hissed as she poured all of her heart into the race, her position in the race just barely meeting up beside the calm Akitsu, "Minato is my husband and I shall not allow you to sully him at dinner!"

Akitsu's head suddenly jerked up, her eyes moving from the road before turning to Tsukiumi with two slightly raised eyebrows, "Hm? You're all the way up here?"

Tsukiumi's teeth grits as she flashed her sharpened canines, intense cerulean eyes narrowing and raining doom and thunder upon and poor soul in their path, "Yes, and I intend to be victorious as well!"

Turning her head back to the road Tsukiumi felt her heart leap up into her throat as hope pounded away at her chest, they were only a scant two blocks away from Izumo Inn. It was a straight shot to the doorway and she was already in the lead...

That spot was hers!

Really pouring on whatever fuel she had Tsukiumi burst into the lead, her speed easily outpacing Akitsu and giving her a meter long lead over the ice princess. Oh victory was sweet, a tart but delightful tang on her tongue that made a victorious smile cross her lips, "This contest is mine!"

Without even registering it Tsukiumi watched as Akitsu passed her, the brunette's eyes narrowed slightly in effort as she pulled ahead of the blond woman, "Minato-sama will eat with me, goodbye."

In seconds the race was over for the pair, Akitsu opening the door several moments before Tsukiumi did the same, a defeated glare on her face as she angrily bit on the tip of her thumb in agitation, "Minato-sama, Miya-sama, I have returned. 'Water tap' is with me as well."

Akitsu's Miya impression only caused Tsukiumi's teeth to bite harder into her thumb, a vein in her forehead pulsing as she fought to keep her temper under control, "Oh hello Akitsu-san, Tsukiumi-san. I take it from the introductions that Akitsu-san has beaten you again Tsukiumi-san?"

Miya was looking directly at Tsukiumi, the obviously agitated woman straightening herself up as high as he pride could take her. It would take more than a loss for her to show such weak spirits in the face of defeat, "Y-Yes...Akitsu did very well best me in today's noble competition..."

Akitsu bowed gently, rising up as she held out her bag to Miya, "Here are the items that you require for this evenings meal Miya-sama. I am guessing Haihane-san and Musubi-san have already returned before us?"

Miya giggled from behind her hand before she shook her head from side to side, "Surprisingly enough no, it seems for once you have actually won today's competition Akitsu-san."

Tsukiumi's eyes popped open and she gawked at Miya's words, every contest had boiled down to Haihane and Musubi so to have come so very close to winning but not being able to in the last second...it almost made Tsukiumi want to tear at the bag in her hands with her teeth.

For her part Akitsu seemed unfazed for a moment, only for that to be shattered as her eyebrows disappeared into her hair and her eyes opened wide, "Wh...what was that Miya-sama?"

Miya chuckled at the reaction, "That means you actually won this time, you may have your seat next to Sahashi-san this evening."

As if on cue Minato's head popped in from the hall, his kind face appearing in the foyer with a curious quirk of his eyebrow, "I thought I heard my name, did someone call me?"

"Yes!" Akitsu's voice was loud, her tone nearing a shout as she called out for Minato's attention. She quickly found several sets of eyes on her person, her face tinting a bright and vibrant crimson as she softly coughed, "I...I mean yes Minato-sama, it appears that I have won the contest today."

"Really?" Minato asked, an eyebrow rose as he approached the feminine trio, "well congratulations I guess...I'm still not sure how I am as a prize but I suppose it'll be nice not being force fed something."

Tsukiumi could have burnt a hole in steel with the force of her glare, her cerulean eyes hot enough to turn read as she stared at the back of Akitsu's head. She was certain that the ice queen was just rubbing it in but damn...was it ever working. So much effort, so much time wasted being so far from her husband was killing her. Her teeth grit against themselves as she thought of Musubi feeding him, of Haihane pressing herself against him every time she got the chance...it was so damn infuriating! If only she had the chance! The chance to feed him, to embrace him...to feel him fully embrace her...

"Oh dear," Miya said quiet concern, one of her hands going to her cheek as she spoke, "it appears that you forgot something Akitsu-san. Your list does have Kombu as one of you ingredients doesn't it?"

Akitsu's body froze as Tsukiumi's filled with hope, the walking freezer approaching Miya with her list held out in an apprehensive hand, "I was certain that it wasn't Miya-sama."

Miya quickly plucked the list from Akitsu's hand, lowering the paper for all to see as she pointed to the last ingredient written in fine black ink, "right here Akitsu-san, Kombu."

Tsukiumi let out the breath she was holding, watching with growing excitement as Akitsu lightly rummaged through the bag before handing it back to Miya, "I see...my apologies Miya-sama, I fear that...I...must...I must acknowledge...my loss."

Every nerve on Tsukiumi's body became numb as she approached Miya, her arms stiffly holding out her list and bag for inspection, "M-My list and supplies..."

Miya took them from Tsukiumi, doing a quick search of the bag before turning back up to the water user with a soft grin, "Well, well Tsukiumi-san, it appears that you are the winner this time."

Fire raged within every single one of Tsukiumi's veins as Minato turned to her, his smile kind and proud as he spoke, "Well I suppose it's really congratulations to you instead Tsukiumi-chan."

Tsukiumi's heart felt as if it were about to burst from her chest, Minato's deep and caring voice calling her name with such tenderness and affection, "Th-Thank you Minato." She would have mentally cursed herself for stuttering but Minato simply continued to smile, that charming grin that he gave her melting any resolve she had towards punishing herself.

She would finally be able to sit with her Ashikabi…

As his wife…

If this were a dream then she wished to never wake from it.

"Minato!" A familiar voice shattered Tsukiumi's tender stare and thoughts, the rough and all too recognizable voice of the silver haired Sekirei cutting through the moment with the same finesse that she would cut with her claws. Yet, despite the interruption Tsukiumi couldn't stop the confident smirk on her face, her arms crossed beneath her bountiful bust as she turned to face the panting reaper.

"It appears that you have arrived too late contemptuous cat," Tsukiumi spoke, her chin raised high as she proudly announced, "I have rose as the victor this time!"

"Yeah, yeah," Haihane muttered indifferently as she pushed past the proud Sekirei, her path never once deviating from where Miya and Minato were standing side by side, "Miya-sama, her are the groceries."

Without bothering to look into Miya's confused purple eyes Haihane handed the two full bags of groceries to the landlady, her now free hands grabbing hold of Minato's as she said, "Come on Minato, something big just came up." Before he could utter a word he found himself under intense pressure, the speed of Haihane's movement nearly causing him to blackout from the sudden acceleration.

"We won't be back for supper!" Haihane's voice echoed back to the residents of Izumi Inn as she pulled Minato behind her at mach speeds, their bodies nothing but shadows before they vanished completely around some unknown corner.

"Oh my," Miya said as one hand came to touch the tip of her chin, "I do hope everything is alright."

"It appears that Musubi-san was not with her," Akitsu commented, her neutral voice back in place as she spoke, "perhaps she is in trouble and it requires Minato-sama to be present."

"I certainly hope not," Miya's voice was filled with concern as she looked into the bags in her hands, "but it appears that they both purchased what I asked for. Still…I do hope Musubi-san is alright."

"It must be quite important; she said that they will not be returning for dinner."

Somewhere in Argentina a young man named Pablo heard a woman's voice scream...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	11. Truth

Eh heh heh...um...hi there everybody! Uh...I know what you're all thinking and I REALLY have a few good excuses for this one. A few days after spring break one of my friends got into a rather serious car crash so there was a gigantic storm and fuss around here about that. In that exact same week I had realized that over my spring break I had forgotten to do my break homework as well as study for my upcoming tests so that devoured my time like Kazehana chugs Sake. THEN Pokemon Black and White came out which isn't a good excuse but damn you Zoroark and Volcarona for being so bad ass! With that out of the way I sat down to write my next chapter until...well something rather unexpected happened. I guess the simplest way I can put it is that I am now an engaged Aglingua42! Needless to say that has been taking up my time, concentration, along side the insane amount of school work my professors have been pushing on me lately. Despite this I return from the hail of gunfire to give you another chapter and to apologize a million times over for the wait! I will try to make this the first and last super long wait between chapters so without further ado please read, review, and most of all enjoy the newest chapter of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 11: Truth  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haihane stared down at the blood on her claws, her breath coming in short and staggered gasps. All along her body she was covered with cuts, slashes long ago having torn away her bandages and leaving only the trunk of her body still bound in scarlet stained cloth. Bits of her kimono littered the surrounding concrete, whatever was left on her body nothing more than cursory rags that clung to her bloodied bandages or the scarred leather belt around her waist.

By her side Minato struggled to his feet, his wounds much less severe than her own but more than enough to slow the more fragile human down. His clothes were ripped and torn, friction burns littering his legs through the holes in his pants while his arms and torso trickled blood from numerous cuts and scratches. A thick stream of soil ran from the side of Minato's face down to his chest, his one mud covered eye squinted shut as he finally pushed himself to stand on quaking heels.

Musubi panted in exertion, the wounds of her own battle showing loud and clear as she held her stomach in agony. A slight trickle of crimson fluid dripped from the corner of her mouth but she was quick to wipe it away on the back of her scarlet sparring glove. Her clothing had been cut and torn, her decency just barely held back by scraps of white cloth stained a dark pink. With great difficulty she stood up beside Minato, her eyes narrowed as she tried to ball her hands into fists in preparation for her next attack. A sharp wince crossed her features as her hand returned to her stomach, teeth gritting and a hiss of effort sounding from her clenched jaw.

_"Can you help us?"_

~~~~~~~~~~Zah World~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And when he took me in his arms and puckered his lips so cutely before he kissed me...oooh! It was almost too much for my beating maiden's heart to take!" Her voice was loud and rather boisterous given the calm and collected nature of the city street. Dressed in her typical dark purple silk dress and high heeled shoes Kazehana strutted her stuff with every ounce of skill she had, gawking faces watching every sway of her hips and bounce of her gigantic bust.

"Th-That's nice...can we talk about something other than my stupid onii-chan?" Sahashi Yukari walked side by side with the busty Kazehana, her smaller and plainer looking girlish body paling in comparison to the curvaceous woman beside her. Had anyone known either of them on any sort of level, let alone the connection between Yukari's mother and the purple clothed Sekirei then one would have to stop and pause to question why the two women were talking so congenially. Or at least why was Yukari even bothering to talk to Kazehana in the first place.

Ever since Minato had returned from the hospital Yukari had become a very large presence at Izumo Inn, her almost daily excursions to check on, or in layman's terms bother, her older brother introducing her to all of the Sekirei that her brother had winged. In the course of harping on her brother for slacking in his studies or not taking it easy enough in concerns to his injured hand she would find herself spending time with some of the many others found at the Inn.

Right off the bat Yukari had found a friend in Musubi, the simple and cheerful girl warming up easily to Yukari who enjoyed Musubi's innocence and naiveté. She actually seemed to enjoy those aspects of Musubi a little bit too much, her devious nature and amusement at seeing her brother squirm more than once causing her to convince Musubi to do something risqué to embarrass her brother into a quick beating from his purple haired landlord. Despite this Yukari enjoyed talking with Musubi, her happiness and natural effervescence more often than not becoming contagious from simply being around the orange eyed girl.

Tsukiumi was more often than not a bit too difficult to understand from time to time, her old and complicated style of speech confusing Yukari so much that she would have to ask Tsukiumi to stop so she could decipher the blond woman's words. Despite this the two could see eye to eye on many subjects, from Minato's indecisiveness and lack of conviction to the surprising warmth and kindness he showed others. Aside from Minato they also had a wide array of subjects to talk about with each other on a surprisingly even level, no matter how much Tsukiumi would deny the fact following every conversation. It also didn't hurt that Tsukiumi had a credit card with an unlimited balance with her and when that was coupled with Tsukiumi's insistence to treat her 'sister-in-law' to an afternoon of shopping then Yukari was completely and utterly sold.

Kusano and Akitsu were two that Yukari found more trouble dealing with but both for very different reasons. Kusano was just a child so that in and of itself made Yukari just a bit nervous, her ability to deal with children nothing to be proud of thus making her nervous and awkward in handling interactions with any type of child of any age. Hence when Kusano was in the room the blond haired runt spent most of it hanging on Minato's arm, the dark haired young man smiling politely and talking calmly while Yukari sat on the sideline awkwardly shifting from side to side. There was also the fact that Yukari could have sworn she caught Kusano glaring at her from behind her back, the child's forest green eyes narrowed into slits before she smiled brightly and skipped off to her own devices...it was almost as if the blond haired child was trying to psyche out some sort of competition.

On the other hand was Akitsu, the well endowed and stone faced woman with the odd marking on her forehead. It was the way that Akitsu reacted to everything that creeped Yukari out, that naturally neutral stare holding firm and true no matter what the conditions or the emotions present. Yukari had been raised in a family where emotions were very close to the surface, both her mother and herself had no problem showing their anger, joy, or anything else so all around them could see. To be faced with someone who held their emotions so in check that they seemed to completely lack them was downright frightening to her. There were also the instances where Akitsu would say some of the most off the wall things with the same cordial conversational tone that one would use to describe a blank piece of paper. These comments eventually resulted in a conversation outside of the Inn in which Akitsu had asked Yukari if she had ever found any porno magazines under Minato's bed. When nervously asked why by the younger black haired Sahashi Akitsu explained that she wanted to know what material Minato liked so she could use it for reference when she finally convinced Minato to take her to a love hotel. That response promptly shut Yukari's mind down for a day and a half.

If one wanted to create a nuclear holocaust then it would be as easy as placing Haihane and Yukari in the same room as one another and giving each of them a stockpile of atom bombs. Both of them always found a way to spark an argument with the other, their personally designed and specifically honed cat claws rearing out the moment a single word was passed from one to the other. Haihane's calm and smooth off handed jabs clashed with Yukari's forward and upfront insults, stiff smiles crossing both of their faces as invisible lightening clashed between their eyes. Even the presence of Minato couldn't dull the bickering the two would invariably come up with, Haihane clinging onto Minato and taking simple pot shots at the Yukari from behind the shoulder of her brother. Sooner or later Yukari would retaliate and the arguments would escalate, Minato slipping away from the room with a sigh before the two were silenced with a powerful whack on the head with one of Miya's wooden spoons.

And then there was Kazehana...

Aside from the reclusive Matsu, Kazehana was the one Sekirei that Yukari had seen the least out of all the others, the busty woman more often than not indulging in her sake habit atop some far off sky scraper or pressing herself against Minato much to the rest of his other Sekirei's chagrin. Yet the few times that Yukari had been able to speak with Kazehana she had found that the wind user was rather wise for her flighty personality, her mind holding a wellspring of information and a heart full of wisdom that Yukari found uniquely interesting. Kazehana had traveled around the world so she was quite literally a world-wise woman, something that Yukari could look up to in a similar way she could look up to her mother's ferocity and intensity when it came to getting things done. She also had a credit card that had no limit too which was the final nail in the coffin when the curvaceous woman invited her out for a bit of shopping that afternoon...

That was until Kazehana started talking about Minato.

To say that Kazehana cared about her brother was akin to saying that the grass on the ground in the summer was just a little green. Given the chance Kazehana would gush about him for hours, her almost fangirl-esque fawning for her brother's warm and sensitive side pissing Yukari off more than once. Trying to get Kazehana off of the subject was also an exercise in frustration, the older and wiser woman always finding a way to connect their conversation or something she randomly picked out the air with Minato. She was like a school girl that had asked out her long time crush only for him to tell her he had felt the same about her since they first met. It was sweetly disgusting, completely annoying, and utterly repulsive...if it wasn't so damn heartfelt.

Kazehana obviously had feelings for her brother, as did the rest of his Sekirei. From Musubi's innocent devotion to Tsukiumi's tsundere qualities they all really cared for Minato. Akitsu swore her devotion regularly while Kusano would grab hold of Minato and never let go, pleading with her 'Onii-chan' to play with her every chance he could get. Matsu...well was Matsu and even Haihane, loath Yukari to admit it, was completely and utterly in love with her brother.

And for some reason that burnt Yukari up.

It riled her in so many ways that she couldn't even begin to describe them all. It wasn't hatred or anger for her brother, abuse him or not Yukari still loved the soft hearted idiot. If it were anything...Yukari wished she could have something like he did. For once in her life she actually envied and was jealous of something that her brother had. Never once had she felt that feeling before, Minato was always too much of a coward or a chicken to get what he wanted while Yukari took everything she desired. To have this feeling of jealousy over her brother now though...

"Alright Yuka-chan," Kazehana giggled as Yukari was shaken from her thoughts, "if I can't talk about Minato-kun then what do you want to talk about?"

Yukari was silent for a moment before her mouth blurted out her thoughts without her permission, "Why did you choose my brother?" Kazehana's eyebrow quirked at the heat behind those words, the unintentional envy leaking into Yukari's voice slightly stunning Kazehana and sending Yukari into a deep blush, "Wait! No, that's not it!"

Kazehana chuckled as she shook her head, "Ah, ah, ah, no taking back what you've already asked."

Yukari sighed, rolling her eyes as she grumbled, "just get the Minato sensitivity sermon over with please, there's still a few more shops I want to visit before I go insane."

Kazehana smirked, "Hm...Alright, how about I tell you something about the Sekirei that will help you understand why I chose Minato?"

Yukari quirked an eyebrow, all annoyance in her gaze gone as she turned to Kazehana with interest, "Alright, I'm listening."

"First and foremost Yuka-chan Sekirei are meant to love," Kazehana said with a smile, her hand laying over her heart as she spoke, "we might be very powerful but in the end we just want to be loved like anyone else. However, unlike humans we know who we are destined for by listening to our hearts and our bodies."

"We all listen to our bodies," Yukari said dully, "what difference does that make for you?"

"When we find the one we are destined to love our bodies react," Kazehana's voice sighed dramatically as a soft smile crossed her lips, "our hearts beat faster, our entire bodies feel like they are on fire, we can barely think clearly. If the heart of a Sekirei finds the heart of an Ashikabi that they will be most compatible with, we are drawn to them like a moth to a flame. From there on it's just a matter of getting winged Yuka-chan."

Yukari stared at Kazehana for a moment in surprise, her mind working through her thoughts before she spoke, "What does this have to do with my stupid onii-chan?"

Kazehana giggled softly, "Minato-kun has a very big and very warm heart and because of that kindness and care many Sekirei have reacted to him. For Minato-kun he might have many Sekirei, but for us there is only one Minato-kun with the one heart we love so much."

Yukari looked down to the ground, her voice a tiny whisper as she muttered, "I know...I like that big heart too."

Kazehana's smile grew, her mouth opening to speak but just as quickly closing with a quiet snap. Without warning Kazehana turned her head up to the sky, her cat like eyes narrowing just slightly as she stared out into the distance of the sky. Bit by bit Kazehana watched as something small and white drifted from the sky, a minute tattered bit of silken colorless cloth fluttering down on the gentle breeze. With smooth and careful movement Kazehana reached up and grabbed hold of the material, her thumb and forefinger gently rubbing it between one another as she silently felt the fabric.

Yukari watched the whole display with a curious gaze, her voice speaking up as Kazehana gently fingered the tattered cloth that fell from the sky, "What is that?"

Kazehana turned to Yukari with a sad smile, her free hand reaching between her breasts as she pulled out her M.B.I. card, "Sorry Yuka-chan but it seems something's come up. You take my card and go on without me. We'll meet back at the Inn alright?" Without waiting for an answer Kazehana handed Yukari her card and in a hurricane of force the busty woman lifted off into the air, her impressive leap sending her high above the buildings as she vanished over the rooftops.

"...wait, what?" Yukari stared at the card in her hand, her mind still trying its best to piece everything together only to be interrupted by a loud shout.

"Get back here you brat and become Mikogami-sama's Sekirei!"

~~~~~~~~~~~Zah World~~~~~~~~~~~

Why did it have to be them?

Why did they have to show up and interfere with her mission...

She hadn't wanted to fight them yet, hell she hadn't wanted to fight them at all but in this game...no one was safe.

She sighed as she sat on the loose gravel roof of the small apartment building, her body draped in a cascading wave of sterling white scarves and veils. Yet, no matter how pristine the fabric may be it was still in shreds and tatters, torn scraps hanging from her shoulders as a trail of confetti cloth ran from her to the edge of the roof. Every so often the wind would gust past her, the swirling air picking up another handful of snow white pieces before throwing them over the side and onto the busy streets of the city.

Sighing softly she pulled her loose white veil from her face, her head tilting back as she looked up into the endless blue of the sky. Deep chocolate brown eyes gazed up into the endless azure as deep brunette hair fluttered on the wind, the face of number 10 Uzume staring up to the bright sun above.

Hai-chan...

Musu-chan...

Why did they have to show up?

Why did they have to see that?

Slowly Uzume let loose a quiet sigh as her gaze turning from the sky to the rooftop gravel below, several scraps of her once magnificent veils laying about her like so much trash. She had remembered when she first met her Ashikabi; they were so beautiful and glorious. She remembered the heat of her heart when they first kissed; her body reacting like an inferno of passion as she finally met her one true fated one. How much her veils danced, how majestic they must have looked on that day...

And now all she could see was the blood she had spilled, a deep ruddy stain forever permeating her porcelain plumage, never to be washed no matter how hard she scrubbed or scoured.

Slowly Uzume lifted her hand, one eye staring lifelessly at the limb as she continued to think. How could she ever hold her Ashikabi with these hands, things that have been stained so many times with the lives of the innocent? Tearing apart futures, ripping destiny to shreds, destroying the will of fate for her selfish love...

But she couldn't stop

She would never stop

As long as it was for her Ashikabi, she would continue for as long as it took.

"Hm, so this is where you are Uzu-chan," a familiar voice called out, her eyes snapping open and his gaze turning from her hand to the figure that stood soundlessly before her.

"Nee-san..."

~~~~~~~~~~Zah World~~~~~~~~~~~

"Nice to meet you, my name is Sahashi Minato," Minato spoke as he bowed slightly, the brown haired boy before him giving him a curious look before nodding slightly.

"Haruka Shigi," Haruka spoke, his own head bowing before he waved a hand to the blue clothed girl by his side, "and this is Kuno."

Kuno smiled slightly, bowing her head as she spoke, "N-Number 95, Kuno. Very nice to meet you."

"Very nice to meet you too," Minato said as he returned to small smile, his head turning to the two Sekirei at his side as he spoke, "I take it you have already met Haihane-chan and Musubi-san?" As usual Haihane had lazily latched herself onto Minato's arm, her own limbs wrapped around his as her head sleepily set itself on his shoulder. Musubi had staked a claim on the other arm, her typically proper seating ruined by her slight lean towards Minato as well as her insistence to keep his forearm held tightly to her well endowed chest.

The pair nodded in tandem as they both looked at the two Sekirei, Minato's voluptuous and curvy girls far outdoing Kuno in any department. While this fact had little effect on Haruka Kuno was quick to cross her arms over her chest protectively, an embarrassed blush tinting her cheeks as Haruka spoke, "Yes we have. Thank you for helping us."

Haihane cracked open her one visible eye, her calm tone and lazy demeanor speaking volumes for her attitude and personality, "Hm? Oh yeah, no problem."

Musubi smiled brightly, bouncing slightly in her seat causing her breasts to giggle around Minato's trapped arm, "Musubi was happy to help!"

Minato laughed nervously before he cleared his throat with a quiet cough, "Well...to be honest I was really surprised to see someone had moved into my old apartment so quickly."

Haruka's eyes turned from Musubi's almost hypnotic chest to Minato, Kuno being the only one who had noticed Haruka's momentarily trapped gaze, "Huh? You were the previous tenant?" Minato nodded before Haruka gave him a curious look, "Really? The landlord told me that the previous renter was some guy who'd bring over girls and do whatever he wanted. He sounded like some kind of loser to me."

"Eh heh...is that so?" Minato muttered, a nervous drop of sweat forming on his brow as he spoke.

In the blink of an eye he found himself on the end of two very pointed stares, Musubi's lips turned up into a small and awkward smile while a dark and hazy animalistic force started to form at her back. Haihane on the other hand was far more direct; her narrow eyed stared accompanied by a slightly tighter squeeze on the arm in her grip. Musubi however was the quickest to speak as her arms tightened around Minato's arm as the growing animalistic visage behind her quietly growled, "Minato-sama won't even let me wash his back in the bath so that can't be true, right Minato-sama?"

"I agree mega boobs," Haihane said with a hollow grin, a dangerous gleam dancing past her slitted sanpaku eyes, "surely I can still take Minato to a Love Hotel and deflower him sometime right?"

Minato's face was hotter than the center of the sun as he sputtered, "Wh-What! Of course I never had anyone over when I lived here! And Haihane-chan, d-d-don't say th-things like that in public!"

"Oh...so in private's fine?" Haihane asked, a playful smirk replacing her agitated glare, "Alright, how about we move this to the bath...I'm sure they won't mind. Then I can say whatever I want."

"Musubi too! Musubi wants to go into the bath with Minato-sama too!" Musubi quickly chirped in, Minato's mortification growing as Haihane's grin grew.

As Minato grasped for words Haihane spoke, the red on Minato's face nowhere near deep enough in her opinion, "Alright mega boobs...I've got a job for you, I think Minato'd love it if you gave him a titfu-"

"Haihane-chan!" Minato's urgent voice cut Haihane off quickly, his face inventing new shades of red as Haihane served him a silent sly smile.

As the trio continued to argue amongst themselves the other two in the room grew progressively more and more embarrassed at the increasingly amorous actions taking place, their cheeks tinting with every provocative comment and suggestive movement by the grey haired Haihane. However it was when Haihane abandoned the pretense of a bath and instead began to speak of Love Hotels that Haruka looked like he was going to have a heart attack, his nose trickling a slight bit of blood as Musubi insisted to be part of the 'group' that went. When Haihane began brainstorming ideal 'positions' for their stay in the hotel Haruka's eyes instantly shot to Musubi's generous assets, his imagination working overtime as more blood began to dribble from his nostrils.

Kuno on the other hand only seemed to curl further and further into herself, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as her back continued to hunch further and further to hide what little features she had. Every risqué comment that Haihane made caused the girl to blush deeper, a self pitying look crossing her face as she looked down at her thin and petite body. It only got worse when she cast a glance toward Haruka, his hypnotized eyes and bloody nose more than enough to tell her what her Ashikabi was thinking about.

Looking down once more at her frail body Kuno could only feel her ego and self-confidence plummet into the depths of her stomach. Not only had Minato's two Sekirei beat her out in looks but judging by the single attack it took to disrupt and demolish the veiled Sekirei's attack they far outranked her in strength. Maybe Haruka had made a mistake when he had found her; maybe fate really had overlooked the possibility that she would even get an Ashikabi and meeting Shigi was sheer dumb luck...

Jumping slightly Kuno felt a hand on her shoulder, her head popping up from its depressed hang and turning to face the now concerned eyes of Haruka. A silent question passed from his gaze to her own, his worry at her silent emotional broadcast loud and clear making her shrink into herself once more. It only took a single glance toward Minato and his Sekirei for Haruka to get the idea, Kuno's self-conscious huddle causing him to sigh softly. "Don't," he whispered quietly, Kuno's gaze turning up to his with curiosity, "don't try to compare Kuno...I like you okay."

Kuno's face was suddenly overcome with a mask of heated crimson, a bright blush lighting up her cheeks at Haruka's quiet but heartfelt words, "H-Haruka..."

"I...I'm sorry for...you know staring," Haruka muttered with an embarrassed blush, a single hand scratching the back of his head, "It...It's kind of hard with what they're talking about." Haruka chuckled quietly, turning fully to face the blushing Kuno as a small smile crossed his lips, "but you know I'm starting to think that maybe the landlord was telling the truth about Sahashi-san."

This prompted a soft giggle from Kuno, the pale skinned and blond haired Sekirei gently taking the hand of her Ashikabi into her own. She wasn't perfect but neither was he...

"Yo," Haihane's voice shattered the moment like a wrecking ball falling into the center of a frozen lake, the pair's hands jumping apart as if they had just touched white hot metal before they turned to face the grinning grey haired reaper, "that's cute and all...a bit too slow for me...but why don't you ask Minato what you wanted to?"

"Ah...yeah," Haruka muttered, his face bright red but nowhere near as brilliantly scarlet at the now mortifyingly embarrassed Kuno. With a soft cough and shake of his head Haruka was mostly normal, his gaze turning from the floor of his room to a now more disheveled looking but attentive Sahashi Minato, "Sahashi-san, you...you don't seem like that bad of a guy. A little perverted but not bad so we'll tell you everything."

Minato sighed at the comment while Haihane smirked, her body rubbing against Minato with great intimacy as Haruka continued his speech, "honestly, we really don't wish to fight. Well, actually it's more like we really can't. She's not that skilled and a bit of a klutz."

Kuno frowned slightly as her hands wringed one another with nervousness and shy agitation, "I'm not a klutz...I'm Kuno."

"All of the competitors that we've seen have had these crazy powers or something," Haruka continued, unabated by Kuno's complaint, "and that's why we wish to leave this place. We want to withdraw from the Sekirei plan completely."

Minato's eyes opened wide, surprise filling his features as he spoke, "withdraw from the plan? That...that's…the M.B.I. has the entire city on lockdown, every border is closed-"

"You think I don't know that?" Haruka interrupted Minato with a growl, his hand reaching for the curtain nearby and tearing it open. Hovering in the air and circling the city were numerous helicopters, massive steel birds fluttering around the concrete trees of the urban forest, "those helicopters patrol the city at every hour and every exit out of the city is crawling with M.B.I. officers, I know, I've checked them all!"

Minato too knew of the existence of the M.B.I.'s private military, their militia might more than once stopping him and asking him for identification before letting him go and registering his movements as an Ashikabi. However, meeting that force and taking it head on...to actually try to leave the Sekirei game...

"Haruka-san," Kuno mumbled quietly, her hand gently tugging at Shigi's clothing, "when you kissed me...called me 'your girl'...that...was the happiest time of my life." Kuno's body began to quake and tears pooled in her eyes as she turned toward the other three people in the room, "I'm not strong and...if some other Sekirei were to come and put Haruka-san's life in danger...I wouldn't be able to protect him..."

"Then run away!" everyone in the room jumped at the sudden voice, the cheerful tone of Musubi turning all attention toward the heavy chested cherubic girl, "run away with all of your strength! It's okay, even though you might not be strong, even though you're weak, if you have someone precious in your heart then you will always be safe! Your heart will never lead you astray!"

A small smile crossed Minato's face at Musubi's heartfelt words, her honest voice speaking her mind and her trust in the will of fate and the strength of their loving bond...

"And even if you do run into that veiled Sekirei and lose, Musubi will make sure you two find one another again!" Musubi's words caused a collective drop of nervous sweat to roll down the brows of everyone present, her skill at delivering otherwise horrible news with such a cheerful disposition almost legendary in and of itself.

Minato chuckled softly as the shock slowly wore off, admiration and a drop of something more filling his eye as he looked at the excited Musubi at his side. She had a pure heart that couldn't be sullied no matter what trash surrounded her, an indomitable spirit that refused to give up no matter what. She wasn't the brightest, nor was she the most observant, but just like all of his Sekirei she held a special little space in his heart. A place that was reserved for Musubi and Musubi alone...

"I agree with mega boobs," Haihane chuckled, a slow smirk dressing her lips as she leaned even further into Minato's arm, "you're pretty pitiful but you've got someone that loves you. Might as well fight for that the only way you can, even if it is running."

"Haihane-chan," Minato's surprise was evident in his whisper, his gaze turning from the now confused and interest Musubi to the grinning reaper. Haihane was never one to back away from a battle, Minato knew this greatly from the number of times that the grey girl sparred with the other Sekirei at Izumo Inn. To hear her speak so kindly of running for the sake of one another...it was almost too bizarre to believe.

"Besides," Haihane continued, her eyes darting over to her steel cylinder propped up against the small cabinet by her side, "if we help you out the disciplinary squad will probably jump all over us...it'll be a damn good fight."

The drops of sweat from before only grew at Haihane's declaration, Minato softly shaking his head and chuckling silently to himself. Just like Haihane to make one comment and have it mean the complete polar opposite. But then again it was that type of charm that had captured him in the first place, Haihane's sly remarks and cunning wit unexpectedly drawing him in like a moth to a flickering flame. She was dangerous, slightly scary, and kind of crazy but she was also kind, sweet, and unexpectedly gentle when you got to know her. Maybe it was those conflicting yet complimenting qualities that gained her a slightly larger than average spot in his swiftly quickening heart.

With a sigh Minato shook his head, smiling at both Haihane and Musubi in turn before he spoke, "I think I understand now." As Haihane and Musubi found their cheeks under assault from rising blushes Minato turned to Haruka, "I too wish to help the two of you stay together and leave the city."

The relief on the faces of Kuno and Haruka was almost palatable, held breaths escaping with relieved sighs before Haruka held out a single hand, "Thank you. I can't trust anyone else in this city but I think I can trust you."

Minato smiled, his one hand slipping from Haihane's grasp and toward the extended palm of Haruka, "No problem."

Musubi cheered as Haihane smirked, their faces tinted a light pink as Musubi threw a fist up into the air, "Alright! We've come to the conclusion of 'dropping out' of the Sekirei plan!"

"Musubi...could you please lower your voice?"

~~~~~~~~~~~Zah World~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been hours since the trio had first entered Haruka's apartment, their planning and secret conversations keeping them awake deep into the late hours of the night before they were through. With a cordial parting, accompanied by more than a few yawns, the two Sekirei and one human Ashikabi struck out for their humble home, the small and classically designed Izumo Inn. High above in the pitch black of the twilight sky hung a full and rotund moon, a pale sphere glowing in the sky and surrounded by hundreds of millions of twinkling stars. The peaceful silence of the twilight hours had long since settled on the streets, barely a foot step to be heard and only the soft electric hum of the infrequent street light to fill the empty air.

The quiet was quickly shattered however when Minato let loose a slow yawn, his arms stretching up high into the sky in a sleepy flex of his weary muscles. A gentle pat of his hand against his gaping mouth gradually silenced his exhausted breath, eventually drawing it to a close before he let his hands slip into his pockets once again. Given the late hour and the intensity of their discussion he had certainly earned his rest for the night, his sluggish movements telling the tale of a worn body while his growling abdomen sang the song of an empty stomach.

When Minato had first met Haruka Shigi and Kuno it would be a lie to a say that he wasn't a little bit nervous, Haruka's cautious and slightly paranoid nature coupling with Kuno's withdrawn and quiet personality made the pair more than a little difficult to approach. However, with time and after their initial conversation about the 'dropping out' plan Minato began to find that the two before him were as simple as himself, scared young people trapped within a Spartan game not of their making. More than once Minato found himself bonding with Haruka over the subject of the local prestigious university, their equal desire to attend and their eerily coincidental failure rate causing a quick friendship to precipitate and taking the edge off of Haruka's tense attitude. Likewise, as Musubi and Haihane talked with Kuno the quiet girl started voicing up just a bit more, granted it wasn't much but when the three started to compare what little notes they had about the Sekirei plan all three grew more and more comfortable with one another.

Bringing these groups together and the real discussion began, 'Operation: Withdraw' gradually coming to form into a legitimate and potentially successful plan. However, there was a definite problem with their plan, something that caused every scheme and preparation to come crashing down into the realm of failure. It was the constant and utterly inescapable eye of the M.B.I. that quickly undermined their plot, the constant surveillance of the Sekirei and their Ashikabi making escape utterly impossible no matter what exit they try to use. Every train was guarded, every border walled, even the ocean had dogged patrols by groups of boats; the plan was there but the route was very unclear...

And it was on that note that the group decided to part ways, the late hour of the night doing nothing to aid in their cognitive processes while their collective hunger ebbed away the very last of their will power, tempers, and mental faculties. With tired and slightly bitter farewells the two Ashikabi exchanged phone numbers and Minato's group was off, a slow and even pace taking them from Haruka's apartment to the comfortable Izumo Inn.

Yet, as the trio continued their sluggish speed towards home it became apparent that is wasn't just exhaustion that had wormed its way into the young Sahashi's body; it was something far graver than that. Hanging in the back of his mind was the image of the broken world, the shattered earth hurtling towards nameless destruction in the black curtain of space. Billions of lives snuffed out instantly as a planet full of breaths came to a death stop. With every plan they formed the image grew dimmer, the bleak future being sliced by slivers of hope breaking through the cracks…but just as quickly the image returned, cruel reality slamming back down and making that vile image actuality as they realized the glaring error of their plan and it was turned to scrap.

But...perhaps if he could...

If he could find a way to make the plan work...

To help Kuno and Haruka escape the city...

Perhaps ending the plan was closer than he could ever hope.

But it was so confounding and frustrating, his hand more than once fisting in his uncombed mop of pitch black hair as the dreaded image came in and out of focus with maddening speed. One moment brought relief while another brought dread, the uncertain future turning from sand to stone right before his minds unwavering eye. How could they be so close while being so utterly far away? One last piece was missing and they couldn't find it, a single section keeping them from finding an escape...from beginning the end of Manaka's hellish spectacle. The solution was quickly becoming as invisible and reclusive as Kazehana's alcohol tolerance limit. Meanwhile as Minato's growing headache and frustration slowed his walking to a crawl he was unaware of his aggravation being broadcast all around him, waves of irritated aura rolling from his skin in an invisible rhythm.

Haihane was oddly silent for the discomfort that Minato was in, her usual reaction to this sort of behavior being a quick and flirtatious intervention followed by some good natured joking. However for some reason it seemed that her typical course of action would be a rather dangerous gambit at the moment, the unique and utterly un-Minato like emotion emanating from the otherwise kind and goofy Sahashi leaving the bandaged reaper at a total loss.

Musubi on the other hand was much more obvious and forward with her concern for Minato, her hands gently wringing one another as she nervously glanced over toward the seething Ashikabi. She had never seen Minato so angry and for some reason it filled her with fear, a terror that she had somehow initiated this reaction from the gentle black haired man. Was it her willingness to involve him with the escape plan? Had she made a mistake in volunteering even before she had asked him? She just had to know...

"Minato-sama," Musubi suddenly spoke up, her unusually subdued voice bringing a bout of tired surprise from the young Sahashi, "Musubi knows she should have asked Minato-sama before volunteering to help Kuno-san and Haruka-san. Musubi is sorry Minato-sama but Musubi thought that-"

That was right, Musubi had volunteered before she had even come to ask him. To be honest it was a little agitating to have her willing to do things like this without at least asking him first but...that didn't worry him that much really. It was the hopelessness of the task, the impossible nature of the feat that started his blood to pulse again and his headache to increase in rhythm and intensity. What if they did fail...what if they all met their deaths...what if the future he saw really did come to pass...

How could he stop it?

It was all so frustrating!

A soft chuckle interrupted Musubi's rushed explanation, his sleepy laughter surprising Musubi and Haihane with the disguised bitterness hidden beneath the surface, "It's alright Musubi-san, I would have helped them even if you hadn't already agreed to it so don't worry too much."

"Minato-sama," Musubi said with worry, a tinge of fear entering the burnt orange iris of her eyes, "are you alright?"

Minato's smile was strangely stiff as he turned to Musubi and Haihane, his steps coming to a complete halt as he faced them with that odd grin, "Of course Musubi, why would you think anything different?"

"Minato-sama..." Musubi's voice shook slightly at the empty stare that Minato sent her, his eyes hollow as he continued to chuckle.

"Minato," Haihane suddenly spoke out, her voice sharp and forceful but oddly quiet for the grey haired girl's normal tone, "what the hell is wrong? It can't just be what Musubi did so what?"

Haihane-chan...

Musubi-san...

Minato softly shook his head, one hand going up to his forehead and gently laying atop the clammy flesh. Beneath the chilly skin of his forehead he could feel the rapid pulse of pounding blood in his skull, a constant and quick paced throb echoing against the rough skin of his palm.

No, he couldn't be this angry; he shouldn't get this frustrated...

This called for a cool head.

For a concentrated mind.

Most of all, for the patience to make it work.

With a slow breath Minato turned back to Haihane and Musubi, the worried looks on their faces melting slightly as Minato's calm and cheerful smile returned in full force. They looked so worried, so concerned for his wellbeing that it almost made his spill his guts right then and there. His story about his time in the coma coming out in a tidal wave of emotion and confession...but he knew he couldn't. He didn't want to share it with them just yet...he wanted to keep them safe, even if it was for a few more days, "I'm sorry, it's just been a really long day and...well with everything we talked about..."

Musubi smile happily, her forgiving and naive nature prepared to forgive her Ashikabi's momentary moment of anger and mysterious topic evasion...

Haihane on the other hand was not.

"I don't believe that," Haihane said sincerely, that small danger sense at the back of her mind twitching slightly as she remembered those hollow eyes and that emotionless smile, "from the moment I met you you've never done something like that...something big is going on isn't it?"

Haihane knew that look, that gaze of faded consciousness, that blank stare out into nothingness epitomizing the phrase 'lights are on but no one is home.' She knew it because she was the same way, her killer's eye and Minato's vacant stare close cousins in their dark emotional expression.

"Haihane-chan," Minato's voice was filled with surprise as he quietly whispered Haihane's name, his heart beat pulsing in his chest at her words. She had always been able to see right through him, to pick apart anything that bothered him...but he couldn't...he...he wanted them safe...

"Is that true Minato-sama?" Musubi piped up, his once happy gaze transformed back into a worried stare, "Minato-sama can trust Musubi and Haihane-san can't he?"

"Musubi-san," Minato began, his head lowering in shame as he scratched at the back of his head, "It's not about trust...it..."

"It's something that can get us hurt," Haihane muttered, her single visible sanpaku eye staring out from the shadowed mane of silver hair, "you wouldn't hide anything this much unless it could hurt us."

Minato's silence was more than enough proof for the two Sekirei before him, Musubi being the first to speak up as she voiced her exuberant opinion, "Minato-sama shouldn't worry about that! Musubi and Haihane-san are really strong just like Akitsu-san, Kazehana-san, Ku-chan, and Tsukiumi-san! Matsu-san is always hiding with Landlady-sama so Minato-sama doesn't have anything to worry about her so why is Minato-sama so worried?"

"I want to know too Minato," Haihane said with slight irritation in her voice, memories of her conversation with Miya playing in the back of her mind at the thought of what Minato could be hiding, "you can count on us to handle anything so spill it."

Could they?

Could they really handle it?

With grit teeth Minato clenched his eyes shut, the world around him quickly being swallowed by the darkness of his eyelids. Could they really handle the storm that he had seen, the destruction that would come to pass?

But then, with his eyes tightly locked away from the world around him, something started to form; Minato's shut and shaded ocular orbs started bearing witness to a spectacular sight in his self made visual seclusion. Sitting there in the darkness of his eyelids were a pair of pale blue strings, small threads that seemed to flow from his body and out into the vastness of the universe. He could recognize those threads, the pale azure strands that seem to stretch into eternity and beyond…they were his bond to this world...

To Haihane-chan

To Musubi...Musubi-chan

To all of those attached to his heart.

They were there to keep him within this time

In this place

Takehito's words rang strong in his head as he thought of the strands, that formless voice telling him of the threads strength and the source from which it came. He was the strength; he could help each strand grow into a river of might…

Maybe this was an opportunity to do just that...

Slowly Minato turned his head up to face his two Sekirei, his eyes locked in a rare moment of pure determination as he spoke, "I want to end the Sekirei plan."

"What," Haihane was first to respond, her voice dripping with shock as she stared at the mysteriously resolute Minato, "do...do you know what you're saying?"

Minato nodded, his gaze turning from Haihane to an obviously surprised Musubi and back again, "I want to end this game and let the Sekirei live like everyone else without having to fight."

"But Minato-sama, we Sekirei are made to fight," Musubi was deeply confused, her Ashikabi's words going against almost everything she had come to know about the Sekirei and herself, "if we don't have the plan then-"

"Then what Musubi-chan? You won't know who to fight with?" Minato interrupted Musubi unexpectedly, something that didn't bother Musubi as much when she took note of the affectionate suffix Minato had attached to her name, "do you know what happens at the end of this plan?"

"The final Sekirei gets their wish granted and they reach ascension with their Ashikabi," Haihane said with a slight hint of heat, her one visible eye glaring at 'Musubi-chan' briefly before returning to Minato, "What does that have to do with this plan Minato?"

For a long moment Minato was silent before he quietly whispered, "Have you ever heard of someone named Takehito?"

Without warning Musubi seemed to jump, her body seizing slightly with an acute electric shock as her voice suddenly spoke, "Takehito Asama was the adjustor of the first generation Sekirei disciplinary squad as well as several other of the early Sekirei meant for the Sekirei plan." Minato and Haihane both stared at Musubi as she quickly shook off her shock, her dark orange eyes looking between the other two in confusion, "Did Musubi say something?"

"Right...anyway," Haihane shrugged as she turned back to Minato, "if what mega boobs said is true then that would make Takehito the first adjuster...someone that I was told died a long time ago."

That seemed to send a chill of ice down Minato's spine but he swiftly shrugged it off, his breath coming out in a soft sigh before he spoke, "well in some way, Takehito-san showed me what Minaka has planned for the end of the Sekirei plan and what he plans to do to the whole world when it ends." The enthralled stares of Haihane and Musubi prompted Minato to continue with a croaking whisper, "at the end of the plan an explosion will tear the world in two...every last thing on this planet will die."

"That...That's-" Haihane began but Minato's slow chuckle cut her off, his head shaking back and forth with each slow laugh.

"Impossible? I thought so too," Minato's voice was accompanied by a sad smile, exhaustion from the day mixing with the fatigue of holding his secret for so long, "but I saw it and what will happen if we don't end it. Takehito-san trusted me with stopping the Sekirei plan from getting to the end…and I promised that is exactly what I would do."

For a moment silence reigned over the trio, all of them not saying a word as the facts of the situation slowly began to sink in. Bit by bit understanding over the situation began to form, their minds assimilating the massive chunk of fresh information…until of course Musubi began to talk.

"Minato-sama…Musubi waited a very long time to meet her Ashikabi-sama and compete in the Sekirei plan…Musubi one day dreamed about wining and reaching ascension with her Ashikabi," Musubi's voice sounded sad, a slow and regretful tone in her voice that slowly faded into silence. However, her pause was only temporary, a bright smile lighting up her features as she clenched her hands and faced Minato with renewed vigor and strength, "but now that Musubi has meet Minato-sama Musubi would do anything for him! Musubi will help Minato-sama with whatever he wishes!"

Relief flooded Minato's features as he smiled and thanked Musubi, his worried eyes turning to the reluctantly fidgeting Haihane. In the back of her mind Haihane knew what the consequences of agreeing to any of this were. They would most likely be killed on the spot if anyone else heard, their lives becoming forfeit the moment they showed any sort of aggression against the M.B.I.

What better reason to join and protect her precious 'Ashikabi-sama'

Her beloved Minato-kun

"Yeah," Haihane's trademark smirk crossed her face as a hint of red touched her cheeks from Minato's hopeful smile, "before we met I would want to kill you for trying to stop this plan but…we are 'Ashikabi-sama's' Sekirei right? Who knows, if this Takehito is right then we might even save the world."

Minato's overjoyed grin couldn't possibly get any wider as his arms wrapped the two girls in the biggest hug he had ever given anyone in his life. Both of the beautiful women blushed a deep crimson hue at their Ashikabi's emotional embrace; each one returning the hug and silently hoping that it would never come to an end…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	12. The Beginning

Hello one and all! The name is AgLingua42 back from the dead and returned from the brink of rapture to give you some new _Claws and Kisses_! I could give you plenty of excuses but I won't because I know you already came here for one reason and one reason only, to actually read this Fanfiction. I will not act like I'm innocent or anything though and I want to apologize for the long wait between chapters as well as missing my own self posted deadline for this chapter. I messed up with scheduling and because of that I disappointed all of you, I am sorry and I want to make sure it never happens again. Aside from this I would like to thank Sentinel28, Fullmetalcrusade, JHedge, as well as the other Fanfiction authors who were present at this years Acen for their advice and the panel which they gave Fanfiction writers such as myself inspiration to continue on with their works and stop being lazy bastards. Well, other than this I guess all I can say is let's get on with the show! Without further ado please read, review, and most of all enjoy the newest chapter of _Claws and Kisses_!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

_Chapter 12: The Beginning  
_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**_START_**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With bright pink hair fluttering in the chilling breeze of the night Benitsubasa stood with a stiff grimace on her face, scarlet stained teeth clenched shut as one of her arms wrapped tightly around her scrapped and scratched abdomen. Her once pristine silk kimono was but tatters of fabric, clinging to her body with the sweat, blood, and tears she had shed during the fight. Whatever skin was bared to the world was a myriad of lacerations and friction burns, her pale and pampered skin being torn and dirtied over the course of the frantic battle. With a burning and passionate hatred she stared into the deep orange eyes of her rival, her opponent. From the very pit of her stomach a vicious and animalistic snarl rose, rage melding with disgust filling the wordless voice.

Kneeling beside her was the orange scarf wearing Mutsu, his breath rough as he frantically gulped in whatever air he could during the short reprieve from fighting. Somewhere along the line he had lost his trademark sandals, the wooden geta long since reduced to millions of splinters leaving bare and bloodied feet to carry his wounded form. His black body suit had accumulated several cuts and tears, his wounds far less grievous than his partners but all just as real and just as potentially deadly. Thrust into the earth before him like a walking stick was his blade, the shimmering steel of the sword tarnished and fractured with several fissures running throughout the molded metal.

Fox like silted eyes stared down the three adversaries before her, a calm and calculated smile crossing her lips as she took a single step over the mess of cream and crimson at her feet. A simple flick of her wrist rid her silvery polished blade of the crimson liquid that covered it, her immaculate dull grey hair flowing on the light breeze as her untouched black uniform overcoat rested about her shoulders without a single slip of the fabric.

The leader slowly began her approach, her smile cracking slight to reveal the pearly white teeth of a ravenous predator...

_We want to leave the city..._

~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~

The sky was clear and bright that morning, a crystalline sapphire blue that hung above the world with all the purity and freshness that could come from it. The sun drifted lazily into the sky as the morning slowly dawned, the soft chill of the evening winds gradually warming bit by bit into soft and seasonal comforting warmth. It was the kind of day that made one feel as if anything could happen, the pristine parchment of history laid out before the world and awaiting the first pen to touch its pale surface...

As he slowly began to rise into consciousness it was unlikely that Sahashi Minato would realize his place in this day until much later, the role he would play during this historical twenty four hours of existence on the planet earth...then again, not even the greatest of us all knew when they woke up that they would change the world in a single day.

Or how much the world could be changed for us…

Slowly, almost painstakingly so, Minato began to rouse from his nighttime slumber; a single errant beam of sunshine piercing the glass in his windowpane and covering his face with its golden glow. Bit by bit consciousness began to come to the young Sahashi, his voice grumbling slightly as he attempted to turn away from the single strand of sun. Yet, no matter how hard he tried he could not escape, the rising sun bringing with it a new day and a whole new existence for the world at large...how could he possibly ignore that?

With a quiet grunt Minato shoved the blankets from his body, his groggy and grumpy features rousing from his futon as a wild shock of 'bed-head' black hair stood on his scalp. For a moment he muttered a quiet thanks to the landlady Miya, her intervention and booby trapping of Minato's door stopping any late night sneaking visits from any of his seven Sekirei. However that was quickly forgotten as he gradually clambered to his feet, his body rising up before bending down to tend to his futon on the floor. A few minutes later and the portable bed as thrown into his closet, a low rumbling in his stomach announcing that it was time for breakfast to begin.

Lazily lurching his way to the door Minato could already tell who was behind the construct of paper and wood, the outline of the short haired, heavy chested ice maiden Akitsu clearly visible through the thin paper walling. Glancing up at the random bars of metal and wood that served as his door 'alarm' he racked his sleep addled brain for the solution to the complex puzzle, his hazy brain attempting to remember the eerily smiling Miya and a teary eyed Matsu showing him the mechanics of the device as Matsu installed it. Somewhere in the back of his mind Minato chuckled at the memory of Matsu grumbling and sniffling as she fool proofed what she dubbed her 'worst creation to date,' something that only gained more of her ire since Miya had somehow come up with a way to permanently block Matsu's 'super secret closet' entrance into Minato's room from her own hidden section of the Inn. Minato's eyes followed the devices almost Goldbergian design looking for the kill switch, from the bucket of white kabuki makeup and red food coloring perched on a shelf above the door to the siren like alarm beside the frame of the wood and paper construct Minato finally spotted a single loop of string, his mind shifting back into a conscious gear as he unhooked the string leaving the device in its unarmed state.

After running his fingers through his hair like some sort of makeshift comb Minato opened his door, the ever stoic faced Akitsu greeting him with a low and respectful bow, "Good morning Minato-sama. Breakfast will be ready shortly."

No matter how early it might have been Minato couldn't help the soft smile that crossed his face, a thankful expression touching his lips as he bowed his head in polite response. Akitsu had always been the one to rouse him in the morning, her calm and polite nature warming his heart while her beautiful features sent a silent trill through his entire body, "Thank you Akitsu-chan."

"It is not a problem Minato-sama," Akitsu said as she rose from her polite bow, an action that was quickly mirrored by the dark haired young Sahashi, "if I may inquire, how did you sleep?"

Chuckling a little bit Minato's hand rose up and gave a gentle rub at the corner of her dark iris eyes, the sandman's leftover dust being whisked away by the simple action before he spoke again, "Very well, thank you. And yourself Akitsu-chan?"

"I slept very well, thank you Minato-sama," Akitsu said with her normal monotonastic flare, "however I would have slept much more soundly had we been entwined within a naked embrace…as I had expressed last night."

After a bit of nervous chuckling and a few more courteous 'thank you's' Minato headed back into his room, preparing for the coming day with a hopeful heart and a stomach full of butterflies. Last night had been a harsh reminder of his task, of the responsibility that he now shouldered. Yet, while the burden grew larger and larger it also became substantially lighter, the strength of two others aiding in holding his dream aloft and giving a clearer view of the future ahead. Perhaps he was romanticizing the notion, after a brief chuckle Minato contemplated a bit on if the whole situation was a delusion...on if it ever really happened at all. It only took a single memory, one horrid thought of those billions of voices silenced in an instant and he felt it was right...

Shaking his head back and forth Minato thrust the thought out of his mind, it was far too early for that kind of mental load, especially if he was going to deal with the events of the past few days, especially the night he returned ...

~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~

After their rather touching and heartfelt embrace the trio sluggishly marched their way to Izumo Inn, the late hour and their collective exhaustion finally hitting them with the force of a truck as they slowly approached the completely darkened home. Glancing up at the windows Minato saw each and every one was blanketed in darkness, the inky touch of night smothering the large home in a surprisingly warm and comforting embrace, "Wow, it's gotten...pretty late."

With a deep yawn the other two nodded in agreement, Haihane's bandaged hand patting away the sleep from her lips as she spoke, "Yeah...hope we don't wake them up...it'd be even more trouble...and I just wanna pass out..."

Musubi shook her head in agreement, her weary deep orange eyes drifting further and further closed as a sleepy smile spread across her lips, "Musubi agrees, Musubi feels like she could sleep for a week..."

Minato chuckled quietly as he walked up to the door, his hand reaching into his pocket as he fished around for his copy of the Inn's key, "Try not to okay Musubi-chan? We still have a lot to do before we can really take a break and rest."

The sound of Minato's voice calling her name with such an affectionate title sent a minor thrill through Musubi's body, a spark of warmth entering her form as she felt herself perk up just a little bit from the depths of her exhaustion, "Alright Minato-sama! Musubi will do her best!"

As Minato entered the key into the lock on the door her momentarily pondered where Musubi kept getting her energy, hell if she produced any more then he almost could swear that she was a real life perpetual motion machine. However, just as his key entered the lock with a resounding click it was roughly ripped from his hands, the smooth metal sliding from his grip as the door before him swung open with enough force to cause a whirlwind of air and dust. Minato was instantly awake as he peered into the darkness behind the door, his breath catching in his throat as he found himself on the end of five very distinctive and powerfully focused glares.

Without even being able to let a single squeak of surprise pass his lips Minato felt ten sets of hands, some large and some small, grab hold of his body at various different positions and pull as hard as they collectively could. This action served to lift Minato completely off his feet, his body sailing through the air and into what could be considered heaven and hell mixed all into one bubbling cauldron. On his left side he could feel one woman and one young girl, the voluptuous and rather obviously lightly dressed curves of Matsu holding his arm in a very possessive hold while Kusano latched onto his leg held on with all of her minute might. Minato's right arm was caught between Tsukiumi and Akitsu, the ice maiden and the water mistress fighting over his limb with every bit of force they could exert without breaking Minato's relatively frail human limb. Finally, Minato quickly found himself face to breast with Kazehana, the busty and voluptuous woman holding him tightly to her bust with either intent to suffocated him to death or cause him to have a permanent impression of her breasts on his face for the rest of his life.

"Minato-kun~" Kazehana whined, her voice wavering and carrying a hint of alcohol that even Minato could smell from between her fleshy mountains, "where have you been?"

Even if Minato could respond from the suffocating position between Kazehana's breasts he would quickly be outclassed by Tsukiumi's speed, her rough and sharp voice barking out with a tongue of violent fury, "Why are you so late husband?"

"I would also like to know your whereabouts Minato-sama," it was Akitsu's turn to speak out, her frosty voice for once breaking her eternal monotone and filling her tone with the same icy continence as her incredible powers, "Certainly...you were not doing something secretive with Musubi-san and the metal pussy cat."

Feeling a definitive sense of foreboding and impending doom creeping up his spine Minato quickly shook his head, a placating smile crossing his lips as her nervously spoke, "Ah, no, no, we weren't doing anything secretive." Turning his head slightly he faced his two sleepy companions, Musubi wearily rubbing her eyes while Haihane softly yawned, "Right Haihane-chan, Musubi-chan?"

He could distinctly feel Matsu, Tsukiumi and Akitsu tighten their hold on his body when he spoke Musubi's affectionate title but that was quickly erased from his working mind as Musubi gave him a sleepy smile, her previous boost of energy evaporating before his eyes as she tilted her head cutely to the side, "Hn? Yes, we were doing something secretive."

The blood in Minato's face instantly drained as three of his four major limbs were put into a crushing hold at Musubi's words, his nervous gaze turning from the orange eyed beauty to the silver haired reaper girl, "W-Wait! She's kidding right Haihane-chan?"

Yawning once more Haihane shook her head, her bandaged fingers idly scratching at the top of her skull as she muttered, "Nah, she's pretty right on the mark...left us pretty tired to..."

Turning back to the group of woman and one girl still holding him tight a single drop of sweat slipped down Minato's brow, the temperature in the room dropping drastically as Tsukiumi was the first to voice her obvious displeasure, "Minato! You...you...you philandering cretin! How dare you have relations with those other than I, your one and only legal wife!"

Before he could even think of speaking Kazehana's arms tightened their hold around his body, his face being driven into her breasts as she started to drunkenly wail, "Minato-kun~ I thought it was this Onee-san who was going to take your virginity~"

"That was cruel Minato," Matsu pouted, her breasts squishing around his arm as she spoke out, "experimenting with Musubi-tan and Haihane-tan but not this Matsu! This Matsu demands you experiment with her too!"

"I must protest once again Minato-sama," Akitsu's voice was firm and unshaken but with her unbending grip on Minato's arm as well as the certain chill in that seemed to surround her it was obvious she was far from happy, "Not only have you denied my request to attend a love motel with you but you take Musubi-san and the pussy cat instead? I am insulted and demand equal treatment before I can even consider forgiving you."

For her part Kusano settled not for words but rather a physical signal of her rage, her teeth clenching over and over into Minato's denim covered flesh in a rabid series of enraged bites. For several moments Minato 'suffered' in the situation, his body struggling for air and enough room to try to explain himself to the unhappy feminine populace around him. Thankfully enough though after a few moments Minato successfully pulled himself free from Kazehana's comforting suffocation, his head leaning back as he tried his best to remaining above Kazehana's death inducing chest, "N-No, you've got it wrong! Musubi-chan, Haihane-chan, tell them the truth!"

Tilting her head to the side Musubi placed a finger to her chin, her sleepy eyes squinted as she muttered, "Eh? But Minato-sama, it's a really long story and Musubi is sleepy."

Haihane nodded in agreement, her hands reaching up as she gave a slow and tried stretch of her lanky curved form, "Yeah, can this wait until morning?"

"**No**!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shaking his head at the memory Minato couldn't help but remember how the girls had grilled the three of them for hours, their unending questions seeming to come in wave after wave like some sort of full forced Spanish inquisition. Even Kazehana, despite her apparent drunkenness, was in on it all, her cute pouting features asking just as many questions as the deeply glaring and nearly snarling Tsukiumi.

It took a great deal of time but luckily enough the questions slowed to a trickle and the reason for the absence of the three was fully revealed, their meeting and subsequent friendship with Kuno and Haruka settling suspicions while raising even more questions. How would they solve this problem, what could they possibly do to help the Sekirei and Ashikabi escape the city from under the nose of the ever watchful eye of M.B.I. and the Disciplinary Squad?

The same question that had stumped the original escapee group did the same to the newly assembled members, so much so that even the plotting queen Matsu had difficulty in coming up with a satisfactory answer. Despite her hundreds of thousands of electronic eyes they still relied upon the technological scope of the M.B.I. and if the M.B.I. knew of it, any escape route found through Matsu's hacking was next to useless. It was with this in mind that the Sekirei and their beloved Ashikabi went to sleep, each of them with a heavy heart and plenty to think about.

For a moment the memories of that night seemed to weight down upon Minato, his breath coming out in a tired sight as he slipped on a t-shirt for the day ahead. That was until he remembered the following day…and the surprises it brought.

~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey stupid Onii-chan!"

Minato could tell that voice anywhere, the same piercing and dominant tone of his little sister cutting through the air with the same skill and finesse of an amateur butcher. As if his morning hadn't already been a cacophony of regaining consciousness beneath the combined crushing weight of multiple women, being smacked about the head with a wooden spoon for things out of his control, being torn between several Sekirei who jockeyed for the majority of his attention at breakfast, now he had to attend to his little sister, her timing none the sweeter as she easily barged through his bedroom door and into a gathering that consisted of Musubi, Haihane, Akitsu, Kazehana, Kusano, Matsu, as well as Kuno and Haruka.

With a deep sigh he put on the best cheerful face he could, his head beginning to pound as he turned to face his sister with the strained and pained smile, "Eh heh, hello Yukari, how are you this morning?"

Minato was almost completely floored by Yukari's brilliant smile, the obvious cheer and happiness present in her features bringing his mind to a screeching halt, "I'm doing just fine worthless Onii-chan! Your landlady let me in, so how are you?"

Despite the barb sent his way Yukari's tone was far too joyous for him to take it seriously, her dazzling smile and upbeat attitude something Minato had never seen in all of his years of living with the black haired firecracker. "Wondering who you are and where my little sister is," Minato muttered to himself, a quiet tone which obviously wasn't nearly silent enough to escape Yukari's sharp ears.

Yet, despite hearing the sidelong insult Yukari simple laughed, a sound that send a disastrously demoralizing shock through Minato's entire body. With her laughter as an end those that knew Yukari watched in astonishment as she bent down slightly, her hand held out as she waggled a single finger at her older brother in playful admonishment, "Ah, ah, that's not very nice stupid Onii-chan! You could really hurt a girls feelings like that!"

"Yuka-chan," Kazehana spoke in wonder, Yukari turning to the wind mistress as she spoke with wide and confused eyes, "Are you feeling alright? I'm sorry I didn't come back like I promised but there was something I had to attend to…"

Instead of being angry Yukari merely smiled, her head nodding politely of all things as she spoke, "It's alright Kaze-chan, don't worry about it okay? Don't want to mess up those looks my Onii-chan loves so much with too many wrinkles!"

The second Yukari had entered the room Haihane had tried to be silent, her teeth gritting against one another as she refrained from making a comment. However, Yukari's sheer cheerfulness wore on the very last of Haihane's nerves, her arms tightening around Minato's one free arm as she snappily barked out, "What the hell is with you negative boobs? You take one too many breast growth drugs?"

Much to the astonishment of everyone around Yukari simply chuckled the insult off, her hand waving Haihane's poisonous strike as if it hadn't even effected her, "Ah, nice try pussy cat but you used that one already, maybe you should start thinking up new insults since all of your others are getting so stale." Haihane's single eye shot open in surprise, for once her sly wit and ability to get under peoples skin failing her which gave Yukari her first clean win against the razor tongued woman.

It was at this point that Minato found his voice again, his amazement at the situation breaking enough for him to voice his thoughts, "Yukari, what in the world happened to you? You've never been this…happy before."

Yukari's grin only grew larger as she nodded, one eye winking as she took a side step away from Minato's door, "Glad you asked stupid Onii-chan! Shiina!"

As Kusano had taken a seat on Minato's lap sometime during the 'strategy meeting' with Haruka and Kuno it was easy for Minato to feel the small blond haired child stiffen at Yukari's words, her entire body scooting to the very edge of her 'seat' as a young looking silver haired boy entered the doorway of his room, "G-Good morning, please excuse the intrusion. My name Shiina-"

"Shiina-onii-chan!"

Minato's voice rose out with a surprised grunt as Kusano leapt from his lap, the green eyed child rushing from Minato to Shiina with arms outstretched and a tear filled smile on her lips. It was the sudden voice of Kusano that caused Shiina's head to snap up, his eyes immediately widening as he caught sight of the long blond hair of Kusano rushing toward him, "Ku-chan!"

In seconds Kusano and Shiina were hugging tightly, their arms wrapped around one another with the sureness and security of two long lost siblings finding one another after years spent apart. "K-Ku was so worried about Shiina-onii-chan!" Kusano wept, her arms tightening around her 'older brother' as she sorrowfully spoke, "Ku is sorry about leaving Shiina-onii-chan behind, Ku shouldn't have gone outside without Shiina-onii-chan!"

Shiina offered the young child a calm smile, his hand gently stroking along the long blond mane of Kusano's hair as he softly spoke, "It's alright Ku-chan, it's alright. Onii-chan isn't mad, he's just happy he found you."

Sniffling a bit Kusano pulled away from Shiina, her emerald eyes brimming with tears as she whimpered, "Really Shiina-onii-chan?"

Shiina nodded, a happy smile pulling his cheeks up as he spoke, "I promise Ku-chan."

"Yay!" Kusano pounced on Shiina again, her arms wrapped around his thin waist as she buried her face into his bony chest, "Thank you Shiina-onii-chan!"

It was hard to find a dry eye in the room, even Haruka and Kuno who had yet to learn of the plight of Kusano and Shiina felt their eyes water just a bit at the heartfelt reunion. It was as if witnessing the ending of a great puzzle, the beginning and end of hardship and strife coming to close right before them in a tearful meeting and joyous culmination of searching and worry.

It took several moments but Shiina was gradually released from Kusano's grip, the young child holding her older 'siblings' hand tightly as she gave him a brilliant smile, "Shiina-onii-chan, Ku-chan wants you to meet someone." Receiving a bit of a confused look from Shiina Kusano simply pointed to Minato, the older boy discretely wiping away a few tears as Kusano and Shiina turned their attention to him, "This is Ku-chan's Onii-chan! He's been really nice and Ku loves Onii-chan a whole lot!"

Shiina laughed a little as he looked at Minato, his head bowing as a relieved smile crossed his face immediately, "Hello Minato-san, thank you for looking after Kusano for so long."

Shaking his head Minato returned the smile, his head shaking slightly as he spoke, "No, don't thank me Shiina-san. Ku-chan has been very worried about you and I'm just happy that you have finally found one another."

Shiina was slightly stunned by Minato's answer, Minato's selfless attitude and gentle nature sharply contrasting Yukari's harder and slightly more self absorbed personality, "Th-Thank you but I still must insist on giving you my thanks. When Yukari-chan told me Kusano had been winged I was very worried but after what she told me about you and after meeting you…I am very happy that you were the one to become Ku-chan's Ashikabi."

Minato felt a bit of warmth entering his chest as he turned from Shiina to Yukari, his normally brash and obtrusive younger sister having yet to move from her spot near the door. However, it was the fact that he could clearly see Yukari wiping away a few tears before giving him another kind smile that caused his own grin to grow, a brilliant smile sending his cheeks skyward before turning to Shiina, "It is no problem Shiina-san-"

"Shiina-onii-chan," Kusano suddenly interrupted, her one free hand gently tugging at Shiina's shirt so as to catch his attention.

Hearing the curiosity in Kusano's voice both Shiina and Minato turned to Kusano, the innocent child looking up into their eyes as Shiina calmly asked, "What is it Ku-chan?"

"When are you going to kiss Onii-chan?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Minato chuckled at that memory, Shiina's incredulous expression mirroring his own as they looked from the innocently curious child to one another, both of them recoiling at the thought with an outward expression of disgust to top the whole thing off. It only got worse as Yukari hopped into the mix, her forward and boisterous personality reasserting itself over her calmer and happier visage as she quickly laid claim to what she termed as 'her bishonen' Sekirei. This only grew into a bigger bubble of chaos as Shiina blushed at the blunt nickname, Minato gave Yukari a confused stare, and Yukari started having a verbal fist fight with the child Kusano over who had the right to the silver haired boy.

Seeing her favorite tormentee back in 'normal' spirits Haihane was more than ready to hop into the fray, her sharp barbs egging on Yukari while backing up Kusano, something that nearly had Yukari foaming at the mouth by the time the argument was settled by three very loud raps with the handle of the infamous Miya wooden spoon; one for Yukari, one for Minato, and one for Haihane. After a round of apologies from the three, and a bit of muttering at why he kept getting punished from Minato, Miya inquired what the commotion was about in the first place.

As Minato slowly shut his door behind him and began to walk down the hall he couldn't help his smile from growing wider as he thought of his wonderful Landlady and the help she gave…

~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh? So that's what everyone has been up to," Miya said with her ever present genteel smile, her classy and sophisticated grin setting minds at ease while nearly causing others to forget her violent and frightening second nature.

Minato nodded sullenly, a hand reaching up to scratch the back of his neck as he spoke with a slightly despondent tone, "Yes, we've spent a lot of time looking for a route for Haruka-san and Kuno-san but…we haven't had any luck."

Matsu sighed as she placed a delicate finger on the bridge of her glasses, a single finger pushing the lenses further up her face before she spoke, "So far my calculations show that the M.B.I. has a blockade or some sort of security measure set up on every readily visible exit from the city. The airports have been commandeered and only run with approval from the M.B.I. and the train lines have been restricted to city usage only. Essentially, when the M.B.I. said the city would be cut off from the rest of the world, they really meant it."

"Hm," Miya nodded, a single finger touching her finely tapered chin as she turned to face Haruka and Kuno, "Even in the face of this you still plan on leaving the city?"

Haruka nodded, "Y-Yes…Kuno isn't any good in a fight and…we really don't want anything to do with it. It looks really difficult I know but we'd rather just live alone and in peace like anyone else has the right to…"

"That may be true but I feel that you do not truly see how large of an endeavor this is," Miya said with surprising calm given the rather negative connotations of her statement, "Not only does the M.B.I. have enough money to take control of an entire city on a whim with their own privatized military force but they also have reserved three of their strongest Sekirei to make sure things of this caliber do not occur. I do not wish to sound negative but with the state of the city at the moment what you are planning would nearly be impossible."

As Miya's words sunk into the consciousness of all those around her each and every spirit in attendance felt the sheer weight of what they had taken upon themselves finally come down upon them, the monumental task brought into light and glaring back with the same vicious stillness of a coiled snake. For many this could be seen as a declaration of war, of a battle with one of the greatest superpowers present on the planet earth, a fight that was on a steep slope to the painful fires of hell. For others however…

"That doesn't matter," Minato's voice rose out from the fringes of Miya's vision, her head turning to face the dark haired Sahashi who sat between Musubi and Haihane. Whenever Miya had seen Minato he always seemed to carry a sense of worry, true he was calm and gentle for the most part but there had always been an undertone of lacking, of a dangerous deficiency of confidence. It was with this in mind that Miya found herself locked eye to eye with a surprisingly resolute gaze, lingering twinges of doubt and fear nearly smothered by the fires of determination burning behind those dark orbs of Sahashi Minato, "I'm sorry landlady-sama but I cannot agree with that. In the past few months I have seen what I used to think of as impossible become as common as the air we all breathe. Yes…what Haruka-san and Kuno-san wish to do is very difficult and nearly impossible but if all of those impossible things have become common then why can't helping them escape be possible as well?"

To say that the rest of the people in the room were stunned would be a gross understatement, from sharp as a razor and intelligent Kazehana and Matsu to the immature and naïve Kusano and Musubi they all gave looks ranging from admiration and awe to flat out surprise and worry for his mental health. The most surprised of all had to be Yukari though, her eyes spread wide as she looked over the oddly matured man before her. Was this really the indecisive, chicken-hearted, and weak Onii-chan that she knew?

Yet, the longer Miya looked into Minato's eyes the more her smile gradually widened, her head nodding happily as she continued to look directly into those determined dark orbs, "Hm, I see…very well, I too feel inspired Sahashi-san and I would like to help with your plan."

"R-Really?" Minato said with evident surprise and hope, his previous mature and stern expression breaking into one of calm excitement and trepidation. His deep set stare melted like ice in the sun as it transformed to one of gentle fluidity, his normal even attitude resurfacing as he offered Miya a thankful smile, "Th-thank you landlady-sama, it would be much appreciated if you could."

Miya offered the collected group of people and Sekirei a lyrical and sophisticated giggle, her deep indigo eyes looking over the interesting black haired young man before her, "Now I won't be much help myself but I can point you to someone who just might be. He is a horrible piece of trash but his assistance could prove to be very invaluable Sahashi-san."

Despite Miya's 'flattering' depiction of her help Minato's smile only seemed to grow, his happiness at the news apparent despite his, "Thank you landlady-sama, any help we could get would definitely be appreciated."

For a moment Miya stared at Minato with a sense of curiosity, a hint of inquisitiveness tinting her gaze as she looked at the odd emotional states of Minato. She remembered when she had first met Minato, the terrified and worried young man that walked into her home with one half naked Sekirei and his two others following close behind. Looking to the Minato present before her she could still see the similarities, the worry, the nervousness, and most certainly the indecision on certain…private matters. However there was something else, something that she hadn't noticed until just a few moments ago. That little spark of heat, of drive flickering throughout his spirit with every beat of his strong and gentle heart.

Laughing softly Miya bowed her head and left the room, promising to return with the 'scum's' home address and phone number…

~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~

As Minato quietly closed his bedroom door and descended the staircase for breakfast he remembered how sometime during Miya's absence every single one of them felt a sharp chill run down her spine, a powerful ice like sensation jolting along each and every nerve like the Lance of Longinus. Miya came back rather quickly following that sharp spike of power, her permanent smile in place as she told the group that the 'piece of trash' offered to help them free of charge when he talked to Miya, something that sent a drop of sweat down the brow of each person in attendance.

Yet, despite this Minato remembered how the entire group save for Matsu, Tsukiumi, Yukari, Shiina and Kusano headed for this 'correspondents' house, their hearts not completely prepared for the shock they would receive and the ally they would gain…

~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World** ~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oi, you sure this is the place Minato," Haihane muttered as she looked the shabby apartment building up and down, "I wouldn't have thought Miya-sama would…you know, deal with people who live in places like this."

"I think I'm going to agree with her Sahashi-san," Haruka muttered, one hand holding Kuno's while the other gently scratched at the back of his neck, "you think maybe your Landlady has sent us on one giant goose chase?"

"No, this is the place," Minato muttered, looking up at the apartments with his own share of confusion and doubt, "Landlady-sama is always truthful and brutally honest, I don't think she would do something this cruel."

With that answer accepted the group ascended the stairs and carefully knocked on the door, a low grumbling and annoyed grunt sounded in response which was quickly followed by a quick and irritated shout, "Hold on a minute!" It took a few moments but eventually the door swung open to a very familiar and nostalgic face, "Yeah what do you…WHAT THE HELL!"

Standing before Minato and the group at his back was one of the rather infamous 'thunder twin' Sekirei, one half of an equation that had rained damnation and hellfire upon many an unwinged Sekirei, including Minato's own lovely duo of Haihane and Musubi. Haihane quickly caught on with her recognition of the twin, her face splitting into a manic grin as she spoke, "Ah, hey there thunder tits…long time no see."

"Hikari, what are you yelling about this time," as if by magic a nearly exact copy of the woman in the door appeared behind the original, the second of the thunder twins rubbing a sleepy eye as she looked to the new 'guests', "Who is at the…oh no…oh no…"

Musubi blinked a few times before she smiled brightly, her hands clapping over her chest as she spoke, "Oh! Musubi remembers you two, you chased Musubi after she left M.B.I.! That wasn't very nice you know, Musubi was really hungry!"

"S-Stay back you fucking insane bitch!" Hikari howled as she quickly thrust the door forward, preparing to slam it with no interruption and running like the wind. However, instead of closing with a satisfying slam the door simply stopped in its tracks, Musubi holding up one hand and bringing the wooden rectangle to a screeching halt.

"Musubi thinks that you are being very rude," Musubi said with an innocent voice, her head tilting to the side in confusion at the hostility, "even after Landlady-sama called before and told us that you'd be very welcoming."

"L-Landlady," That word seemed to shake the twins to the core, each of them looking at one another before the calmer and more sensible twin one turned to the group and spoke, "You…you wouldn't be speaking of Asama Miya, would you?"

The moment the twins had shown up Minato had been deeply confused and worried about who this 'contact' was, perhaps Miya had sent them on a wild chase after all…yet, despite this Minato held his ground, despite his worries and insecurities he nodded his head and spoke with a surprisingly level voice, "Yes, that is the name of our Landlady-sama. Is there a problem?"

Minato and the rest of the group were instantly pulled inside, each of the twins trying their damndest to make them at home and comfortable while at the same time sneaking into the bedroom and trying their hardest to wake up someone they called 'Seo.' It was only roughly ten minutes into the 'gathering' that a man, bleary eyed and unshaven, stumbled from the bedroom with a wide mouthed yawn and a rather rude scratching of his stomach, "Oi, I'm up, I'm up already...what's with the party?"

The less busty twin, now known to the group as Hibiki, turned to the man sharply and spoke, "Seo, these are the people Miya said were coming over…you know, for help with their plan?"

Turning from Hibiki to the group he gave the entirety of the gathered humans and Sekirei a once over, his face eventually splitting into a relaxed grin as he spoke, "So they are…hey there, my name is Kaoru Seo but you can just call me Seo if you want."

"Thank you Kaoru-san," Minato spoke with calm politeness in the face of Miya's supposed help, his head bowing in respect to the grimy and sleepy man, "my name is Sahashi Minato, it is nice to meet you."

At Minato's announcement Seo seemed to freeze, his narrow almost sanpaku eyes looking at the black haired Sahashi for a good long while before moving onto the next person in the room. After a round of introductions Seo turned from the final Sekirei to Minato, his smirk more than a little perverted as he gleefully chuckled, "Not bad kid, you've winged yourself some pretty good Sekirei, and Kazehana to boot…almost makes me wish I could've gotten to them first~"

In seconds Seo was thrown into the midst of a powerful and violent seizure as hundreds of volts of electricity jolted through his entire body, the thunder twins standing behind him shocking him with the equivalent of three tazers at once for his rather off color comment. Yet, despite the potential lethality of the electrical strike Seo recovered in an unordinary amount of time, his sizzling and smoking body hopping to his feet as he muttered something about bitchy women beneath his breath. Minato's group could only stare at what should have been a very dead man and wonder how he had come to build up such a unique tolerance to being electrocuted.

"I feel this is why Miya-sama said he was 'a rotten piece of scum,'" Akitsu spoke, her dead on impression of Miya's voice causing a slight shiver from the group and a definite tremor from Seo and the thunder twins.

"Fuck kid," Seo quivered, his body shaking like a leaf in the wind before he turned to face Minato, "I take it back…anyone who has a Sekirei that can do that has to be cursed by hell…"

Despite being sent an icy stare from the aforementioned ice mistress and a slightly irritated look from Minato Seo effortlessly ignored both in favor of sitting down on a chair opposite the group, a small table separating them as he laid out a large map and began to speak himself, "So, if what Miya told me is right you and you are the ones that want to get out of here right?"

After pointing to Haruka and Kuno and getting a nod in response Seo continued, his once relaxed face tensed with annoyance and irritation as he spoke, "Good, now I'm not too happy about the idea of the M.B.I. controlling the city among other things so I'll help you out…and because of Miya I'm going to have to do it for free but I guess the chance to hit back at the M.B.I. is enough…for now."

While his finishing statement was cryptic and rather foreboding to most Seo continued unabated, his eyes turning from Haruka to Minato, "Kid, are all the Sekirei that you have here or are there some still back at the Inn?"

"I still have three more," Minato confessed, his voice dipping slightly as he remembered Tsukiumi's adamant refusal to aid in the escape, "but I think only one will be helpful…"

Seo suddenly chuckled, his head turning from side to side as he spoke, "if that one is Matsu then I hate to break it to you kid but she's going to be useless in anywhere but planning…and maybe the bedroom."

Minato's eyes snapped open in surprise and for once it was not from Seo's off color humor and perverted mindset, "Y-You know about Matsu-san?"

One of Seo's eyebrows snapped up in curiosity, his head tilting to the side as he spoke, "What? Does Miya ever tell you anything? I was the one who built Matsu's little room; of course I know she's there."

For a moment Minato found himself entertaining the idea of what Miya really was keeping from him, despite being a major presence in his life she was a very deep enigma which he couldn't even begin to understand. What were her motivations in helping him, why did she seem so adamantly against his actions at times while deeply helpful at others…and now that he thought about it…didn't the voice say something about her?

Minato was snapped out of his thoughts as Seo returned to talking, his loud voice commanding the room's attention as he continued to speak, "So we've got about seven combat ready Sekirei on our side right now, right?"

"Wait a minute," Haruka spoke up, his gaze leveled directly at Minato as he spoke, "Didn't your sister say she wanted to help out?" Minato's face quickly drained in color as Seo's interest peaked, Haruka turning from the now pale Sahashi to a curious Kaoru as he finished his thoughts, "She's got a pretty powerful Sekirei too, I think he said he was number 108 or something like that."

"Number 108?" Seo said with more than a little surprise, his eyebrows jumping up into his hairline as he stroked his stubble covered chin, "If my sources are right then he's the Death Sekirei…well damn, I thought with Kazehana and Akitsu here we had a pretty good shot but with him on our side we could make a real mess of the M.B.I. on the way out-"

"Shiina and Yukari will not be participating," Just as it had when Miya had spoken earlier in the day Minato's voice rose out with a firm and uncompromising tone, "They may want to help but I cannot allow my little sister or Kusano to be endangered by something like this."

The moment Minato stopped for breath Seo let loose with a harsh and vicious chuckle, his head shaking side to side as he closed his eyes in disbelief, "Oi, kid I don't think you really get what you're saying here. If your sister is in this plan it's a little too late to try and protect her don't you think? She's going to have to fight at some point and if you try to coddle her it'll just fuck up her chances later on. It's the same thing for this other Sekirei of yours…Kusano right? She's going to have to fight at some point so why not start it now and get it over with…"

Subconsciously Minato's left arm began to tense, the tri-scarred limb flexing and curling into a tight fist as he remembered his own naiveté, his lack of knowledge and the deep price he paid because of it. He had heard of when he was lost in the realm of unconsciousness, how Yukari had shown up by his bedside and wept for him in hopes that she could awaken her older brother. Minato could only imagine those roles reversed, sitting beside Yukari's bed, praying for her safety, watching helplessly as she recovered or even worse, slipped from his grasp…

"No," Minato's voice rose again as his left fist trembled with the might of his grip, "What we are talking about isn't a normal Sekirei fight Kaoru-san, this is a direct strike against the M.B.I. and it will be many times more dangerous than the fights that are already part of the Sekirei Plan. If it were up to me I would keep Yukari as far away from this as possible but since I can't, I will protect her from what I can and if that means stopping her from being involved in something even more dangerous then I will do it."

In the back of his head Minato could imagine Kusano in the midst of battle, the innocent blond haired child watching blood being shed around her, watching lives being lost, of friends falling and of enemies coming closer. This only caused his gaze to deepen which led Seo's eyes to widen in surprise, "As for my other Sekirei, she is only a child and if I were any kind of responsible older brother or human then I wouldn't let that happen…from now until the very end of the Sekirei Plan."

Seo froze at Minato's tone, his mention at the end of the plan causing an odd pang to flow through the older man's body. Perhaps it was the way Minato said it, a vaguely cryptic undertone in his voice that spoke of something larger, of something grander than what he had led on. Maybe it was the way the two Sekirei at his side glanced at him, the large busted Musubi gazing at him with hopeful devotion and the grey haired reaper Haihane giving him a strong and confident smirk, like an inside joke that none but them knew. Whatever it was, Seo's face nearly became unhinged with the width of his smile and with a deep chuckle her spoke, "Alright kid, I understand…"

~~~~~~~~~~~**Zah World**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Minato reached the bottom of the long wooden staircase he remembered how Seo had been the one to finally solve their escape route problem, an old and nearly abandoned bridge being Haruka and Kuno's solution for their final ditch escape effort. In a few short hours the newly focused group came up with assignments, positions, everything from beginning to end they planned it all…a plan solidified to take place in a scant twenty four hours time. Minato was almost adamant about having a long time to enact the plan but Seo convinced him that the longer they waited the less chance they would have to use it and the less chance Haruka and Kuno would have to finally have their wish and live freely.

Minato chuckled as he walked down the hall towards the dining room and remembered last night and the impromptu 'party' Kazehana as well as the others put on for Kuno and Haruka. After meeting with Seo and finally having their long awaited answer the 'escape group' felt it was only right to celebrate the occasion with food, music, and of course Sake. There was laughing of all kinds, there was fun to be had with unabashed measure, there was…

Shaking his head Minato remembered the party, how it had gone, the people that were there, and most of all what had happened in such a short time. With a sigh Minato entered the dining room, his mind already preparing to roll through the night and the 'farewell party' in its entirety…

"Minato-sama, Good morning!"

"Oi, Minato, get your ass in here…I need someone to fuc- I mean feed."

"Oh Minato-kun~ how about your Kaze-chan gives you a nice big Sekirei breakfast with some tasty 'dessert'?"

"Sh-Shameless woman! D-Do not flirt so readily with my husband! Minato! I demand you sit beside me and allow your one true wife to feed you!"

"Onii-chan! Ku wants to feed you too!"

"Mina-tan, I'd like to talk to you about some experiments of mine~"

"Minato-sama, open wide please."

"Gah!...h-hold on a s-second!A-Akitsu-chan! K-Ku-chan!...I-I'm choking!"

Twenty four hours may bring great change to the world, a planet altering collection of seconds ticking away bit by bit until the end of it all. But, no matter how historic they may be they always begin the same…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**END**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


End file.
